Obama HQ Highlights

Message from the President: "A historic moment"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:20:53 EST

Shortly after the Senate vote this morning, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:

Although it's Christmas Eve, I wanted to share some exciting news: The Senate just passed a historic health reform bill.

In all the back and forth, it's easy to lose sight of what this incredible breakthrough really means. But consider this: This Christmas, there are millions of Americans without health insurance who risk losing everything if they get sick.

There are mothers and fathers who wonder how they'll provide for their children because an illness has wiped out their savings. There are small business owners who worry that they'll have to lay off a long-time employee because the cost of insurance is rapidly rising.

If we finish the job, all this can change. We will have beaten back the special interests who have for so long perpetuated the status quo. We will have enacted the most important piece of social policy since the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and the most important health reform since Medicare in the 1960s.

In Decembers to come, millions more will have access to affordable coverage. Parents will have the security and stability of knowing their insurance can't be revoked at a moment's notice. And the skyrocketing costs plaguing our small businesses will be brought under control.

When you make calls, write letters, organize, this is the change you're making -- a better life for your family and for men and women in every state.

There is still more to do before I can sign reform into law -- a last round of negotiations and final votes in the Senate and the House -- and I'm counting on your help every step of the way. But for now, I hope that as you celebrate this holiday season, you remember that the work you are doing is making our union more perfect, one step at a time. For that, I am grateful to you.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

President Barack Obama

P.S. -- Organizing for America supporters are signing a note of appreciation to all the senators who have worked so hard to make this possible. I hope you'll join them.

Senate Passes Health Reform Bill

Christopher Hass — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:16:41 EST

Shortly after 7:00 A.M. this morning, the Senate passed its version of the health reform bill by a vote of 60-39, with all Republican senators voting against. We'll have more details shortly.

UPDATED 7:48 A.M. President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks on this morning's vote at 8:45 A.M. You can watch live onine at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATED 8:12 A.M. The Associated Press reports:

Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill Thursday that could define President Barack Obama's legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in the country's history.

The 60-39 vote on a cold Christmas Eve morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. Vice President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted "yes." Republicans unanimously voted "no."

The tally far exceeded the simple majority required for passage.

Message from the President: "Where we stand"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:44:19 EST

Earlier tonight, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:

Early this morning, the Senate made history and health reform cleared its most important hurdle yet -- garnering the 60 votes needed to move toward a final vote in that chamber later this week.

This marks the first time in our nation's history that comprehensive health reform has come to this point. And it appears that the American people will soon realize the genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options to those who do not.

I'm grateful to Senator Harry Reid and every senator who's been working around the clock to make this happen. And I'm grateful to you, and every member of the Organizing for America community, for all the work you have done to make this progress possible.

After a nearly century-long struggle, we are now on the cusp of making health insurance reform a reality in the United States of America.

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added provisions have made this landmark bill even stronger. Between the time when the bill passes and the time when the insurance exchanges get up and running, insurance companies that try to jack up their rates do so at their own peril. Those who hike their prices may be barred from selling plans on the exchanges.

And while insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions once the exchanges are open, in the meantime there will be a high-risk pool where people with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.

A recent amendment has made these protections even stronger. Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes. There's also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient's choice of doctor. And small businesses will get additional assistance as well.

These protections are in addition to the ones we've been talking about for some time. No longer will insurance companies be able to drop your coverage if you become sick and no longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for treatments that you need.

Under this bill families will save on their premiums; businesses that would see their costs rise if we don't act will save money now and in the future. This bill will strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program. Because it's paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.

Finally, this reform will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who don't have it.

These are not small changes. These are big changes. They're fundamental reforms. They will save money. They will save lives.

And your passion, your work, your organizing helped make all of this possible. Now it's time to finish the job.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Inside the Manager’s Amendment to the Health Reform Bill

Erica Sagrans — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:17:48 EST

With all of the developments on health reform in the Senate this weekend, it can be challenging to keep track of what is and what isn’t in the latest version of the bill. Senator Harry Reid’s “manager’s amendment,” released Saturday morning, combined a number of key changes into a single amendment, many of which made strong improvements to the initial Senate bill. Taken together, this amendment and the underlying Senate bill it affects represent the most significant health reforms since the introduction of Medicare in the mid-1960s.

Though it does not contain every measure that OFA supporters have pushed for, the bill would make many sweeping changes that would save lives and finally bring about fundamental reforms that advocates have spent nearly a century fighting for. In an op-ed in this morning’s New York Times, Vice President Joe Biden wrote:

“While it does not contain every measure President Obama and I wanted, I would vote yes for this bill certain that it includes the fundamental, essential change that opponents of reform have resisted for generations.”

We thought it would be useful to put together a rundown of where things stand, and what’s changed over the course of negotiations this week. Here are a few of the key details:

• The state “opt-out” version of the public option was replaced with a series of national, privately run plans. These plans would be under the supervision of the Office of Personnel Management, the same entity that oversees health plans for members of Congress. At least one of these plans must be a non-profit plan.

• Health insurers would be required to spend more of their revenue on providing you health care (between 80% and 85%) rather than on administrative costs and salaries. Currently, the amount spent on patient claims is sometimes as low as 66%.

• Insurance companies that jack up their premiums before the health care exchanges begin would be excluded from participating – creating a strong incentive to keep premiums affordable.

• Starting immediately, insurers would not be able to deny children coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Discrimination on the basis of pre-existing conditions for everyone would be banned once the exchanges are open in 2014 – in the meantime, the bill creates a high-risk pool where adults with pre-existing conditions can buy affordable coverage.

• Patients will have the opportunity to appeal denials of health care coverage, with states ensuring the availability of an external, independent process that holds insurance companies accountable.

• Lifetime limits on health care would be banned – and starting in 2014, annual limits for care would be banned as well.

The limited Medicare buy-in, for those between ages 55 and 64, that had been discussed earlier in the month was not included in the amendment. Additionally, unlike the current House bill, the manager's amendment to the Senate bill does not ban plans in the exchange from offering abortion services – instead, it allows states to choose whether to prohibit abortion in their exchanges and requires segregation of private and public funds. If the Senate is able to pass its version of the bill, this and other discrepancies between the two bills (including the public option, which is included in the House bill) would still have to be worked out in conference committee.

The first cloture vote on the manager’s amendment is scheduled for 1:00 A.M. tonight.

Joe Biden: Why the Senate Should Vote Yes on Health Care

Christopher Hass — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:56:36 EST

In an op-ed in the New York Times today, Vice President Joe Biden explains why, if he were still a senator today, he would vote "yes" on the current health reform bill:

While it does not contain every measure President Obama and I wanted, I would vote yes for this bill certain that it includes the fundamental, essential change that opponents of reform have resisted for generations.

We have been here before. In the past, as the moment of decision drew nearer, criticism from both the left and the right grew louder. Compromises were derided. The perfect became the enemy of the good.

Most recently, in 1993, Democrats had a chance to forge a compromise with Senator John Chafee, Republican of Rhode Island, on a health care reform bill. Congress’s failure to pass health care reform that year led to 16 years of inaction — and 16 years of exploding health care costs and rising numbers of uninsured Americans.

We can’t let that happen again. While it is not perfect, the bill pending in the Senate today is not just good enough — it is very good. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions or drop coverage when people get sick. Charging exorbitant premiums based on sex, age or health status will be outlawed. Annual and lifetime caps on benefits will be history. Those who already have insurance will be able to keep it, and will gain peace of mind knowing they won’t be priced out of the market by skyrocketing premiums. And more than 30 million uninsured Americans will gain access to affordable health care coverage.

The Vice President also addressed the disappointment that many feel over the removal of a public option from the Senate bill, but warned that there would be no second chance to vote yes for reform:

I share the frustration of other progressives that the Senate bill does not include a public option. But I’ve been around a long time, and I know that in Washington big changes never emerge in perfect form.

Those in our own party who would scuttle this bill because of what it doesn’t do seem not to appreciate the magnitude of what it has the potential to accomplish.

...Is America better off today because a chance at a compromise health bill was missed in 1993? For my friends on the left, the rising toll of the uninsured provides an emphatic no. For my friends on the right, the soaring share of federal spending on health care likewise provides a no. Let’s not make the same mistake again.

If the bill passes the Senate this week, there will be more chances to make changes to it before it becomes law. But if the bill dies this week, there is no second chance to vote yes. What those who care about health insurance reform need to realize is that unless we get 60 votes now, there will be no health care reform at all. Not this year, not in this Congress — and maybe not for another generation.

Read the full op-ed . . .

Health Insurance Reform Legislative Update

Addisu from Washington, DC — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:41:51 EST

At approximately 4:00 P.M. this afternoon, Majority Leader Harry Reid filed for cloture on his manager's amendment to the Senate health reform bill. Folks, we are nearing the finish line.

Today's events mark a crucial first step towards having an up-or-down vote in the Senate on health insurance reform. After months of back and forth in committee and weeks of debate on the floor, this morning Senator Reid filed a motion to end debate and vote on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The Senate version of health insurance reform would achieve the goals President Obama set out at the beginning of this debate. It would provide more stability and security to people who have insurance by ending some of the insurance companies worst practices like denying someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition or canceling someone's coverage when they get sick. It will extend coverage to 31 million more Americans, providing coverage options for the uninsured through a new health insurance exchange, while making that coverage affordable through generous subsidies. And it would lower costs for families and businesses by increasing choice and competition. This legislation will reduce the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars in the next 10 years, and it will bend the cost curve downward.

What happens now? Sixty senators must vote to end debate, and then 51 Senators must vote to pass this historic bill. The exact timeline is anyone's guess, but Senate Democrats are working around the clock to pass the bill before Christmas.

Once the bill passes, the action moves to conference committee. Members of the House and Senate conference committee will create a final piece of legislation (blending elements of House and Senate bills) that will be voted on one more time by both chambers. Upon final passage, Congress will send that final bill to President Obama's desk for his signature.

While we have a few steps left to take and some twists and turns to go, here's what we can be sure of: President Obama will sign into law the most significant piece of social and economic legislation since Social Security, and the largest expansion of health care coverage since the creation of Medicare in 1965.

The work OFA volunteers and supporters have done and continue to do to ensure President Obama has the opportunity to sign this historic legislation into law is nothing short of amazing. Millions have taken action as part of OFA health insurance reform campaign since we kicked-off our effort on June 6th. And since August, Organizing for America has generated over 1,000,000 calls to members of Congress to demonstrate support for reform.

You've written, you called, you've visited, you haven't given up. Thank you. This holiday season, we're going to give America the gift of health insurance reform. We are going to get this done.

Addisu Demissie is the national political director for Organizing for America.

Political Update on the Progress Towards Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:04:42 EST

Addisu Demissie, National Political Director for Organizing for America, sat down to give a quick update on the progress towards health reform and the work supporters have done so far to get us to where we are today:

Senate Health Debate Wrap Up: Week 1

Christopher Hass — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:41:24 EST

The Senate concluded its first full week of debate on the health reform bill yesterday -- a busy week that saw lawmakers working through the weekend. In addition to debate, voting began on the first of almost one hundred potential amendments that have been offered up so far. Early amendments covered a range of issues, from preventive care to home health benefits, as well as a proposal by Republicans that would have effectively ended the debate and sent the bill back to committee.

The Democrats.org blog has a post up recapping some of the early action.

The President's Address to the Nation: "The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:45:07 EST

Here's the full video of last night's speech at West Point:

A Big Step: Senate Votes to Begin Debate on Health Reform Bill

Christopher Hass — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:27:07 EST

Just a few moments ago, the Senate voted 60-39 to move forward with debate on health reform legislation. OFA Director Mitch Stewart explained:

For the first time ever, the Senate just voted to begin debate on a comprehensive health insurance reform bill. This was the first big hurdle we had to overcome to pass reform through the full Senate.

The decision was close -- and insurance company lobbyists were working overtime to defeat us -- but your calls this week made a huge difference.

There are more fights ahead, but this is a big victory and I wanted to take a minute to thank you for making it possible.

The Senate is expected to begin debate following the Thanksgiving break.

"Off the hook"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:43:23 EDT

A message from Mitch Stewart, sent out very late last night:

It's late; I know you've gotten a lot of messages from us recently, and everyone here at OFA headquarters is pretty tired. But the last reports of calls and commitments are just coming in from events on the West Coast, and I wanted to share the news with you.

As you know, we set a big goal: 100,000 calls to Congress placed or committed to in a single day by OFA supporters and allied organizations. By 2:30 p.m., you had crushed it. So, we gulped and said let's go for 200,000, not knowing what would happen. But the calls just kept pouring in -- keeping phones ringing off the hook in congressional offices in D.C. and your representatives' district offices around the country.

Then, OFA supporters gathered in over 1,000 living rooms and community centers from Macon, Georgia to Missoula, Montana. You called hundreds of thousands of key voters in your community and got them to agree to call Congress and speak out for reform, too. President Obama joined in at a call party in New York -- and he had some amazing words of support for the folks like you who make this movement possible.

I'm looking at the numbers, and with almost all of the reports now in, the tally wasn't 200,000 calls placed or pledged -- it was 315,023. You did it.

Take a moment to watch the President's inspiring words to OFA volunteers on this incredible day.
Your voice was overwhelming -- with reports in the media of congressional offices "completely crushed with calls." CBS News described your effort as an "onslaught." And a congressional aide was quoted with a common response, saying their office was deluged by "pretty much non-stop health care calls from OFA."

You set a new OFA record, you caught the national media's attention, and you certainly put Congress on notice. But you know that's not what really matters.

The message I sent earlier talked about a woman, Jenny U., whose insurance company cut off her coverage because they decided her kidney donation to her sick daughter counted as a "pre-existing condition." What really matters is that today you brought America one giant, irreversible step closer to being a place where no one will ever have to suffer that kind of injustice again. That's what all the messages, late nights, and phone calls ultimately add up to. It's what makes everything we do together worthwhile -- and it's why we'll keep fighting together until the job is done.

Watch President Obama's special message to you from a call party in New York:

http://my.barackobama.com/TTDreport

Thank you, so much, for being part of the team.

Sincerely,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Here are just a few stories from "Time to Deliver" events across the country:

This evening I and three other volunteers got together and made calls. As I was calling, one of the women I spoke with told me that she was inspired by my story -- shared in the email earlier that day -- to get her entire family to call Congress. She didn't know it was me on the phone, but she said she just couldn't stop saying "this isn't right" when she heard my story. It gave me so much hope -- during the evening we made 213 calls and got 64 commitments to call tomorrow.

-Jenny U., Missouri Volunteer

Seeing the tally go up, hearing voter after voter agree to call, and listening to the real excitement people have about finally fixing this broken system, I was reminded why we do this. Each of us can only give so much -- but when we all do it together, we move mountains. Health insurance reform, here we come.

-Sean Knox, California New Media Director

I want to recognize the folks in this room -- and folks watching online -- who are helping us to do exactly that. And I want to thank all the Organizing for America volunteers for making calls, knocking on doors, and keeping up the fight. You know why this is so important. ... We are nearing the finish line -- and with your help, we're going to cross it.

-President Barack Obama

Tuesday: Time to Deliver

Christopher Hass — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:15:08 EDT

From OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird:

With health insurance reform finally ready for consideration before the full Congress, we've set a big goal for this Tuesday: 100,000 calls to Congress made or committed to in a single day. We'll make our voices heard above the din created by the insurance industry's campaign of misinformation and fear and make sure our representatives know it's finally time to deliver on health reform.

But here's the thing -- if we're going to get there, we need your help to reach out to friendly folks who still need to speak up in support of reform.

We're holding "Time to Deliver" call parties and neighborhood outreach events across the country. We'll get together in living rooms and community centers, and reach out to supportive voters whose voices are particularly critical in this debate. We'll talk to them about the President's plan, and then we'll ask them to call on their representatives to support reform and thank those already doing so.

And the President will be joining all of the events that evening via an exclusive webcast -- please find an event near you and RSVP today.

You don't need to have any experience to attend a Time to Deliver event. The host will have everything set up for you, so it will just be a great evening of reaching out to voters with your friends and neighbors and making a tremendous difference.

We've set a big goal, but if we hit it, two things will happen: we'll have set a new record for contacting Congress in a single day, and the phones in our representatives' offices will be ringing off the hook the whole day, meaning our voices cannot be ignored.

With more than 1,000 events happening on Tuesday, we've got everything set to reach our goal -- but we need you to make it happen.

Please RSVP for an event by you:

http://my.barackobama.com/AttendTTD

See you out there,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

"A Call to Action": President Obama On Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

Christopher Hass — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:19:05 EDT

In reacting to the news this morning that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize, the President struck a note of humility and recognized that the award was a nod to a vision of what is to come:

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

"The cavalry, in white coats and scrubs"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:30:53 EDT

From Organizing for America Director Mitch Stewart:

The cavalry is here -- and they're in white coats and scrubs: More than a half a million doctors and millions of nurses are joining forces to help pass real health reform.

Americans listen to their nurses and doctors when it comes to health reform -- and for good reason. If we can help them amplify their voices, it'll be a huge boost to our campaign for change.

So we're working on a new television ad featuring their voices explaining why doctors and nurses so strongly support President Obama's plan -- and asking Congress to pass it. We'll run the ad in key states and districts all around the country to show folks where health professionals stand, cut through the spin, and build even greater support for reform.

But to produce and air the new ad before the Senate starts debating a final bill, we'll need to raise $300,000 by Thursday. Can you donate $25 right away?
The American Medical Association, Doctors for America, and a dozen other physicians groups representing 500,000 doctors are endorsing reform. So are the American Nurses Association and other organizations representing millions of nurses.

They're speaking out because they see the shortcomings of our health care system firsthand, every day: patients denied the care they prescribe, families losing access to their doctors, and a system that forces them to spend more time with paperwork and less time with patients.

These voices need to be heard -- with so much deception out there clouding the debate, it's critical that medical professionals are able to focus the country on the simple fact that health reform is good medicine.

But the final congressional committee could vote on their reform bill as early as Wednesday -- and debate on final legislation could start by the end of the week. So if we're going to help make these doctors and nurses' voices heard, we'll need to do it right now. Can you chip in $25 or more to help get our ad on the air?

https://donate.barackobama.com/HealthAd

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Announcing the "Health Reform Video Challenge"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:38:21 EDT

Yesterday, OFA/DNC New Media Director Natalie Foster announced the kick-off of the Health Reform Video Challenge:

In many ways, the fight for health insurance reform comes down to a battle over information. The more people know about how broken the system is and the President's plan to fix it, the more they want change. But there are an awful lot of lies to cut through, and a whole lot of truth to get out.

So today, we're proud to announce a powerful new way for you to help: Organizing for America's Health Reform Video Challenge.

This is your chance -- you ingenious, insightful, funny people out there -- to make a 30-second ad telling the story about why the status quo has got to go, or explaining how the Obama plan will ensure we get the secure, quality care we need without breaking the budget.

The top submissions will be voted on by the public and a panel of experts, with the winning ad aired on national television. This is your opportunity to add your voice and creativity to the debate, get some great exposure for your work, and make a huge difference.

Click here to get started.
No experience is needed -- if you have an idea, we want you to give it a shot. And if you know someone who is especially handy with a camera, please forward this note along right away. Just make sure you submit your ad by October 18th.

Your video could be as simple as you talking straight into the camera, as complex as a full-blown production with a script and special effects, or anything in between.

We're looking for serious videos: You can tell your personal story about how the broken health insurance system has affected you. You can illustrate the big picture about what's wrong now and how the President's plan will help with animations, charts, and facts.

We're looking for funny videos: You can parody those trying to scare us into inaction (between the lying pundits and the insurance company spin doctors, they've given us some good stuff to work with).

And we're looking for new ideas we never would have thought of but we know will blow us all away.

We know that compelling videos can touch people in a way that words alone simply cannot. The messages that regular people put together will make a bigger difference than any false smears or slick ads the other side can dream up. And who knows -- your creative, powerful, or touching video could help tip the balance in favor of health reform.

So go get started today!

http://my.barackobama.com/videochallenge

I can't wait to see what you come up with,

Natalie

Natalie Foster
New Media Director

The President's Remarks to a Joint Session of Congress: "Stability and security for all Americans"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:31:06 EDT

Tonight, President Obama spoke to a special joint session of Congress and the American people to outline his plan for health insurance reform. The core of his plan: provide more security and stability for people who have insurance, provide quality, affordable care to those who don’t, and rein in skyrocketing costs that are crushing American families, businesses and the government itself.

"I am not the first President to take up this cause," the President explained, "but I am determined to be the last."

Our collective failure to meet this challenge – year after year, decade after decade – has led us to a breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some can’t get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and can’t afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or expensive to cover.

We are the only advanced democracy on Earth – the only wealthy nation – that allows such hardships for millions of its people.

During the past few months, the President remarked, "we have seen Washington at its best and its worst."

We have seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before. Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors’ groups and even drug companies – many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about eighty percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.

But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care.

The plan that the President announced tonight is designed to meet three basic goals:

It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. It’s a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge – not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals. And it’s a plan that incorporates ideas from Senators and Congressmen; from Democrats and Republicans – and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.
... an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange.

... It’s worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I’ve proposed tonight. But its impact shouldn’t be exaggerated – by the left, the right, or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and should not be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end – and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have.

For example, some have suggested that that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others propose a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring. But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can’t find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance company bureaucrat gets between you and the care that you need.

...This is the plan I’m proposing. It’s a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight – Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open.

But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it. I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.

That is why we cannot fail.

...I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road – to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.

But that’s not what the moment calls for. That’s not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it’s hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history’s test.

Read the President's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

President Obama to Address Joint Session of Congress on Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:51:06 EDT

Earlier today, it was announced that President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on the issue of health insurance reform next Wednesday, September 9th. CNN reported:

It will be Obama's second speech to the full legislature since he took office in January, and the setting and rarity of such an event highlighted the importance the president places on his top domestic priority: overhauling the nation's ailing health care system.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid formally invited Obama to make the address, as required, in a letter issued Wednesday after news broke of the planned speech.

We'll have more information on this important speech in the days to come.

Health Insurance Reform Now: On the Bus

Bradley Portnoy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:20:19 EDT

Last Wednesday, Organizing for America kicked off a ten city bus tour to help bring attention to the work that's been going on all month in the fight for health insurance reform. Since then the bus has traveled from Phoenix to Des Moines, and thousands of Americans have come out to demand insurance reform now. In Phoenix, people heard from Dr. Nicholas Vasquez and Linda Grady, who shared their own stories to demonstrate the need for reform:

The highlight of the evening was listening to personal testimony from two everyday folks, Linda Grady and Dr. Nicholas Vasquez. Dr Vasquez, an ER doctor, spoke about how he regularly would see patients who lack health insurance that needed some kind of treatment. He referenced one gentleman that came in six times within 10 days due to chronic migraines and no health insurance.

...Linda Grady was your average person that was suddenly afflicted with a herniated disk. She watched as the same injury happened to a professional baseball player in the same week. Linda followed his recovery very carefully and within two months he was back on the field while she was still bed ridden. When she tried to see the specialists her doctor suggested, her insurance company wouldn’t cover it, saying it wasn’t necessary. She was blessed to have a health care advocate in her family that took up her cause and got her the proper care. She ended her speech saying “God speed to this bus on its journey, because this bus is the real ‘Straight Talk Express’!”

The bus moved on to New Mexico, where a crowd overwhelmed the National Hispanic Cultural Center:

The heat in Phoenix yesterday gave way to a cool night here in Albuquerque, but the storm overhead didn't dampen anyone’s spirits. Before the bus arrived, the line at the entrance to National Hispanic Cultural Center was around the block; by the time the bus pulled out, the crowd unanimously agreed that this year, we will improve health care in America, rain or shine.

Along the way, the team on the bus has been tweeting continuously through their Twitter account, @OFAOnTheBus. They next stopped in Denver, for an event that was covered by the Denver Post:

"This is easily the biggest crowd we've seen," group organizer Mitch Stewart said as he stepped off the touring bus at the third of 10 stops across the country.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., had already warmed up the crowd.

"My daughter has epilepsy, and she's being discriminated against because of her prior condition," he told the cheering crowd. "We're not going to let her get pushed aside."

The bus pulled into Des Moines yesterday, where Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller reminded them that the health insurance reform fight wouldn't be easy. The people of Iowa, though, are up to the challenge:

Des Moines was a perfect example of this ethic: regular people coming together and organizing not because it’s easy, or because the odds were in their favor. The people in Des Moines—just like those in Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Austin, New York, and cities all over the country this week—are here because they refuse to let the health care reform debate be dictated by talking heads on cable TV or political pundits in D.C. Iowans and others are organizing for change not because it is easy, but because the status quo is unacceptable.

Later, the bus stopped in St. Louis, and now they're rolling on to Indianapolis—you can follow their progress on our Health Insurance Reform Now: On the Ground page. In the slideshow below, you can see some of the great photos from the trip so far:

FULL VIDEO: OFA National Health Care Forum with President Obama

Christopher Hass — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:12:06 EDT

Here's the full video from yesterday's event, in which over 280,000 people tuned in online to watch the President discuss the ongoing fight for health insurance reform:

Thursday: Strategy Meeting with the President

Christopher Hass — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:03:37 EDT

From David Plouffe:

President Obama is holding a live strategy meeting on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for all Organizing for America supporters. I hope you can join us, online or by phone.

The President will update us on the fight to pass real health insurance reform -- what's happening in D.C. and what's happening around the country. He'll lay out our strategy and message going forward and answer questions from supporters like you. And we'll unveil the next actions we'll organize together.

This is a critical time in this President's administration, and in the history of our country. I hope you can join us.

Here are the details:

What: Organizing for America National Health Care Forum

When: Thursday, August 20th, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP and submit a question for the President.
The President wrote to us a few weeks ago to ask us to go the extra mile this month in the fight for health insurance reform. And so far, you've stepped up in a big way: Last week, an astounding 60,000 Organizing for America volunteers stopped by representatives' and senators' local offices. You told your health care stories to staffers and members of Congress -- of losing insurance after getting laid off, of being denied coverage upon finding out about a serious illness. And you thanked those supporting real health insurance reform for all the work they've done so far.

But these local office visits were only part of the story. The D.C. media has been trumpeting coverage of town halls disrupted by angry opposition to reform. But the reality on the ground is very different. Organizing for America supporters are showing up in huge numbers at these meetings all across the country -- outnumbering opponents of reform, often by overwhelming margins.

You've organized 11,906 local events in all 50 states -- from press conferences to community discussions -- since we launched our big campaign for reform in June. And you've made hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress.

Your work so far has been incredible. But the special interests and partisan attack groups who oppose reform will not let up, and they will tell whatever lies they can to spread fear. There's a lot more work for all of us to do. This Thursday's meeting is our chance to huddle as a team, get the latest information and talk about how we're going to achieve this victory. You don't want to miss it.

Click here to RSVP and submit a question for President Obama:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum

Hope you can make it,

David Plouffe

Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor!

Christopher Hass — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:56:13 EDT

Earlier today, Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the newest Justice of the Supreme Court. Shortly thereafter, Vice President Joe Biden sent out the following message to supporters who called, wrote letters, and displayed their support for Judge Sotomayor:

Congratulations.

Just moments ago, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the newest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Our highest court and the nation it serves will benefit for years to come from Judge Sotomayor's brilliance, wide-ranging legal experience, fair-mindedness, and commonsense understanding of how the law touches our daily lives. President Obama picked the right person for the job, and you stood up for her from the very beginning.

You helped make today an historic one for the court and for our country.

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

Message from the President: "This is the moment our movement was built for."

Christopher Hass — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:15:27 EDT

Today, President Obama sent out a message to supporters asking them to get involved in the fight for health insurance reform this month:

This is the moment our movement was built for.

For one month, the fight for health insurance reform leaves the backrooms of Washington, D.C., and returns to communities across America. Throughout August, members of Congress are back home, where the hands they shake and the voices they hear will not belong to lobbyists, but to people like you.

Home is where we're strongest. We didn't win last year's election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most. And if you're willing to step up once again, that's exactly where we're going to win this historic campaign for the guaranteed, affordable health insurance that every American deserves.

There are those who profit from the status quo, or see this debate as a political game, and they will stop at nothing to block reform. They are filling the airwaves and the internet with outrageous falsehoods to scare people into opposing change. And some people, not surprisingly, are getting pretty nervous. So we've got to get out there, fight lies with truth, and set the record straight.

That's why Organizing for America is putting together thousands of events this month where you can reach out to neighbors, show your support, and make certain your members of Congress know that you're counting on them to act.

But these canvasses, town halls, and gatherings only make a difference if you turn up to knock on doors, share your views, and show your support. So here's what I need from you:

Can you commit to join at least one event in your community this month?

In politics, there's a rule that says when you ask people to get involved, always tell them it'll be easy. Well, let's be honest here: Passing comprehensive health insurance reform will not be easy. Every President since Harry Truman has talked about it, and the most powerful and experienced lobbyists in Washington stand in the way.

But every day we don't act, Americans watch their premiums rise three times faster than wages, small businesses and families are pushed towards bankruptcy, and 14,000 people lose their coverage entirely. The cost of inaction is simply too much for the people of this nation to bear.

So yes, fixing this crisis will not be easy. Our opponents will attack us every day for daring to try. It will require time, and hard work, and there will be days when we don't know if we have anything more to give. But there comes a moment when we all have to choose between doing what's easy, and doing what's right.

This is one of those times. And moments like this are what this movement was built for. So, are you ready?

Please commit now to taking at least one action in your community this month to build support for health insurance reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/CommitAugust

Let's seize this moment and win this historic victory for our economy, our health and our families.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

"Not this time."

Christopher Hass — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:29:39 EDT

Now, we've talked this problem to death, year after year. But unless we act -- and act now -- none of this will change. Just a quick statistic I heard about this hospital: Just a few years ago, there were approximately 50,000 people coming into the emergency room. Now they've got 85,000. There's been almost a doubling of emergency room care in a relatively short span of time, which is putting enormous strains on the system as a whole. That's the status quo, and it's only going to get worse.

If we do nothing, then families will spend more and more of their income for less and less care. The number of people who lose their insurance because they've lost or changed jobs will continue to grow. More children will be denied coverage on account of asthma or a heart condition. Jobs will be lost, take-home pay will be lower, businesses will shutter, and we will continue to waste hundreds of billions of dollars on insurance company boondoggles and inefficiencies that add to our financial burdens without making us any healthier.

So the need for reform is urgent and it is indisputable. No one denies that we're on an unsustainable path. We all know there are more efficient ways of doing it. We just -- I spoke to the chief information officer here at the hospital and he talked about some wonderful ways in which we could potentially gather up electronic medical records and information for every child not just that comes to this hospital but in the entire region, and how much money could be saved and how the health of these kids could be improved. But it requires an investment.

Now, there are some in this town who are content to perpetuate the status quo, are in fact fighting reform on behalf of powerful special interests. There are others who recognize the problem, but believe -- or perhaps, hope -- that we can put off the hard work of insurance reform for another day, another year, another decade.

... We can't afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care. Not this time. Not now.
... Now, we always knew that passing health care reform wouldn't be easy. We always knew that doing what is right would be hard. There's just a tendency towards inertia in this town. I understand that as well as anybody. But we're a country that chooses the harder right over the easier wrong. That's what we have to do this time. We have to do that once more.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

A Week of Action

Christopher Hass — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:13:11 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

Organizing for America volunteers have done amazing work over the last couple weeks -- and the pressure is working. Congress is moving rapidly toward finalizing health care reform legislation, with crucial votes expected in both the House and the Senate within days. With so much at stake -- and the D.C. lobbyists going into overdrive -- we have to take our grassroots campaign to the next level.

So we're announcing the Health Care Reform Week of Action. All this week, OFA volunteers like you will be knocking on doors, making calls to neighbors, and attending public events to build the local support for health care reform we need to pass a strong final bill. If you can spare an hour or two for health care reform, this is the week to do it.

Find and sign up for a Health Care Reform Week of Action event near you.
Things are moving quickly in Washington. Key committees in both the House and Senate have passed early versions of the bill that reflect the President's principles for real health care reform. We're making progress in large part because legislators are hearing from Americans who have waited far too long for reform.

But the opposition also knows how crucial this week is. That's why they're spending as much as $1.4 million every single day sending high-powered lobbyists around D.C. to hold back reform. Our best weapon against these insider tactics is publicly demonstrating support back home -- exactly what this week's actions are designed to do.

So please join us for the Health Care Reform Week of Action. As we get closer to final votes in Washington, we need to keep pounding the pavement, hitting the phones, and reaching out to the public every way we can.

Find and RSVP for an event near you at.

Hope to see you out there,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Statement by the President on the Health Care Reform Legislation Introduced in the House Today

Christopher Hass — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:17:34 EDT

Following the official release of the House health care bill today, President Obama released the following statement:

"For decades, Washington failed to act as health care costs continued to rise, crushing businesses and families and placing an unsustainable burden on governments. But today, key committees in the House of Representatives have engaged in unprecedented cooperation to produce a health care reform proposal that will lower costs, provide better care for patients, and ensure fair treatment of consumers by the insurance industry.

This proposal controls the skyrocketing cost of health care by rooting out waste and fraud and promoting quality and accountability. Its savings of more than $500 billion over 10 years will strengthen Medicare and contribute to our goal of reforming health care in a fiscally responsible way. It will change the incentives in our health care system so that Americans can receive the best care, not the most expensive care. And it will offer families and businesses more choices and more affordable health care.

This proposal will also prevent insurance companies from denying people coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition. It will ensure that workers can still have health insurance if they lose their job, change their job or start a new business. And it includes a health insurance exchange that will allow families and small businesses to compare prices and quality so they can choose the health care plan that best suits their needs. Among the choices that would be available in the exchange would be a public health insurance option that would make health care affordable by increasing competition, providing more choices, and keeping the insurance companies honest.

The House proposal will begin the process of fixing what’s broken about our health care system, reducing costs for all, building on what works, and covering an estimated 97% of all Americans. And by emphasizing prevention and wellness, it will also help improve the quality of health care for every American.

I thank Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, and Miller for their hard work on this bill that fundamentally reforms the health care system. As this process moves forward, I look forward to continuing to work with all House members in ensuring this legislation helps all Americans and plays an essential role in reducing deficits and bringing fiscal sustainability to our nation.”

The President's Weekly Address: "The First Step Towards a New Energy Economy"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:21:49 EDT

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama praised the House of Representatives for passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act last night. This historic piece of legislation will lessen our dependence on foreign oil and spark a clean energy transformation in our economy that will create millions of new American jobs -- jobs that are critical to building a new foundation for our economy.

"Now my call to every Senator, as well as to every American, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future. And we must not be prisoners of the past. Don’t believe the misinformation out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth. It’s just not true."

House and Senate Release Details on Initial Health Care Bills

Christopher Hass — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:47:34 EDT

In his first address to Congress, President Obama cited health care reform as one of his top priorities, and he called on Congress to move quickly to pass legislation before the end of this year. Congress answered the call, and yesterday both the House and the Senate made public information on their respective plans for the first time.

In the House, the three committees with jurisdiction (Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor) complied a three-page outline of their proposal. CQ Politics reported:

The plan would require individuals to obtain insurance and employers to help pay for it, and would create a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers, according to the outline.

Leaders of the three committees briefed the full House Democratic Caucus on their outline Tuesday. “We will continue to seek input and work closely with our colleagues, outside stakeholders, and the administration and are on track to introduce legislation shortly, the trio said. “We anticipate committee action on health reform in the coming weeks, with legislation on the House floor prior to the August district work period.”

...The House Democratic plan would reorganize the private insurance market, creating a national Health Insurance Exchange where individuals or employers could obtain coverage, including from a government-run “public plan” if they wish. States would have the option of creating their own exchanges, instead of participating in the national exchange. Insurers would be prohibited from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and could not charge higher premiums based on gender, health status or occupation. Premiums would be higher for older people, but the increase would be limited.

The plan would cap out-of-pocket spending by patients to prevent bankruptcies due to medical costs. Some studies suggest that more than half of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills.

In the Senate the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a more detailed document on Tuesday. The 615 page document is not yet in its final form though, and additional components are expected to be released later in the week. The HELP Committee is chaired by Senator Ted Kennedy, but Senator Chris Dodd, the second-ranking Democrat, has had a large hand in drafting the bill while Kennedy continues to recover from brain cancer. The current version of the HELP bill can be read here.

The Huffington Post reported:

Kennedy's bill will get its first hearing on Thursday and is scheduled for a committee vote on Tuesday, June 16th.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Tuesday that a committee vote on a health care bill could come as early as the week after next. The battle over the future of health care in America now enters a span of several months as important as any in a generation.

As OFA Director Mitch Stewart said this morning, the future of American health care is now up for grabs.

Video: Health Care Organizing Kickoff

Christopher Hass — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:28:08 EDT

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people came together to organize for health care reform at thousands of Health Care Organizing Kickoff events across all fifty states. If you weren't able to attend one of the kickoffs, here's the special video recorded just for these events:

If you were able to make it to a kickoff this weekend, let us know how it went in the comments below . . .

President Obama Reiterates Support for Public Option and Health Insurance Exchange

Christopher Hass — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:01:19 EDT

President Obama sent a public letter to Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Max Baucus, following their meeting yesterday to discuss the ongoing work on health care legislation. In the letter, the President commended both Senators for their work on what he described as "one of the most urgent and important challenges confronting us as a Nation." He also re-asserted his support for a plan that expands access, cuts costs, and preserves choice, and he reiterated his belief that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans:

The plans you are discussing embody my core belief that Americans should have better choices for health insurance, building on the principle that if they like the coverage they have now, they can keep it, while seeing their costs lowered as our reforms take hold. But for those who don't have such options, I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange -- a market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that's best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.

Read the full letter from the President . . .

President Obama on Call to Volunteers: "We need you to stay involved"

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:28:14 EDT

Earlier today, President Obama took time to speak by phone with thousands of Organizing for America volunteers about the urgent need to organize for health care reform.

“If we don’t get it done this year, we’re not going to get it done,” the President said.

He stressed that health care reform will only become a reality if grassroots supporters mobilize support for it in every community in America. The fight over health care reform, he noted, offers a "big chance to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn’t over.”

We need you to stay involved. The election in November, that didn’t bring about change, that just gave us an opportunity for change...Some of you are in states and districts where politicians are resistant to bringing about change, so we need you to get involved.

If you missed the call, you can listen to the rest of what the President had to say here:

Also speaking on the call was David Plouffe, OFA Director Mitch Stewart, OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird, OFA New Media Director Natalie Foster and OFA volunteer Diane Robertson, who offered her advice on how to organize support in your community.

The fight over health care reform begins in your neighborhood June 6th. Sign up to host or attend a kickoff event in your area.

Message from the President: "My Supreme Court nominee"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:36:01 EDT

This morning, President Obama recorded a special video message to personally introduce his nominee for the Supreme Court to supporters across the country:

I am proud to announce my nominee for the next Justice of the United States Supreme Court: Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

This decision affects us all -- and so it must involve us all. I've recorded a special message to personally introduce Judge Sotomayor and explain why I'm so confident she will make an excellent Justice.

Please watch the video, and then pass this note on to friends and family to include them in this historic moment.
Judge Sotomayor has lived the America Dream. Born and raised in a South Bronx housing project, she distinguished herself in academia and then as a hard-charging New York District Attorney.

Judge Sotomayor has gone on to earn bipartisan acclaim as one of America's finest legal minds. As a Supreme Court Justice, she would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any Justice in 100 years. Judge Sotomayor would show fidelity to our Constitution and draw on a common-sense understanding of how the law affects our day-to-day lives.

A nomination for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land is one of the most important decisions a President can make. And the discussions that follow will be among the most important we have as a nation. You can begin the conversation today by watching this special message and then passing it on.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Message from David Plouffe: "June 6th: It all begins"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:13:01 EDT

From David Plouffe:

Remember this date: Saturday, June 6th, 2009. We will look back on that day as the moment when the fight for real health care reform began in your neighborhood -- perhaps even in your own living room.

On June 6th, in thousands of homes across the country, we'll gather to launch our grassroots campaign for health care. We'll watch a special message from the President. We'll build the teams and draw up the plans for winning health care reform the same way we won the election: Building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. And we'll put those plans into action.

These kickoffs are so crucial that President Obama will join confirmed hosts and attendees on a live conference call.

Sign up today to host or attend a Health Care Organizing Kickoff.
There's no prior experience required. We'll send you the details for dialing into the President's call and provide you everything you need to make your meeting a success.

After the election, people gathered at over 9,000 meetings across every state to set priorities for health care reform. Our voices were heard. Now the race is on to make sure Congress produces a plan that reflects the President's call for reduced costs, guaranteed choice, and quality care for all.

To make that happen, we need to build a groundswell of support in every district and every state, and we have no time to lose. All summer we'll be reaching out to our neighbors, knocking on doors, serving in our communities, and building a grassroots network strong enough to win.

These gatherings on June 6th are just the beginning of a battle between those who fought and believe in change and those who would protect a broken status quo. The stakes for our country could not be greater.

Some call this strategy pie-in-the-sky. They say we'll never have enough volunteers to make a real impact; that you need insiders and Washington lobbyists to make a difference. But you and I know firsthand how wrong they are. Starting June 6th, it's once again time to show this country how bottom-up change is done.

Please sign up today to host or attend a kickoff near you.

These kickoffs will be both effective and fun. You'll meet likeminded supporters in your neighborhood, share stories, enjoy good company and a shared mission, and know that no matter what this effort requires of us, if we work together we'll be ready to face it and persevere.

I look forward to joining you and the President to chart our course.

David Plouffe
Organizing for America

Message from the President: "Our next step on health care"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:13:56 EDT

Last week, we asked supporters to stand with the President by declaring their support for his three core principles for health care reform. Yesterday, President Obama himself asked those supporters to take the next step:

The chance to finally reform our nation's health care system is here. While Congress moves rapidly to produce a detailed plan, I have made it clear that real reform must uphold three core principles -- it must reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality care for every American.

As we know, challenging the status quo will not be easy. Its defenders will claim our goals are too big, that we should once again settle for half measures and empty talk. Left unanswered, these voices of doubt might yet again derail the comprehensive reform we so badly need. That's where you come in.

When our opponents spread fear and confusion about the changes we seek, your support for these core principles will show clarity and resolve. When the lobbyists for the status quo tell Congress to hold back, your personal story will give them the courage to press forward.

Join my call: Ask Congress to pass real health care reform in 2009.

By declaring your support for the three core principles, you have already taken the first step -- thank you. Now, consider sharing your personal story about the importance of health care reform in your life, and the lives of those you love.

I will be personally reviewing many of these signatures and stories. If you speak up now, your voice will make a difference.

American families are watching their premiums rise four times faster than their wages. Spiraling health care costs are shackling America's businesses, curtailing job growth and slowing the economy at the worst possible time. This has got to change.

I know personal stories can drive that change, because I know how my mother's experience continues to drive me. She passed away from ovarian cancer a little over a decade ago. And in the last weeks of her life, when she was coming to grips with her own mortality and showing extraordinary courage just to get through each day, she was spending too much time worrying about whether her health insurance would cover her bills. She deserved better. Every American deserves better. And that's why I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is finally achieved in the United States of America.

Share your personal story about why you too will not rest until this job is done.

Last November, the American people sent Washington a clear mandate for change. But when the polls close, the true work of citizenship begins. That's what Organizing for America is all about. Now, in these crucial moments, your voice once again has extraordinary power. I'm counting on you to use it.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Host a Health Care Kickoff

Christopher Hass — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:31:38 EDT

With the health care debate moving forward quickly, today we're reaching out to grassroots organizers to ask them to begin planning health care kickoff across the country:

Throughout our campaign for change, and since our victory, you have helped us make enormous strides towards creating the change we all fought for. And now we have a chance to make an even greater impact, but it can't happen without you.

As we seek to enact real health care reform that includes President Obama's three core principles -- reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure affordable care for all -- we need you to help seize this moment and organize your community neighbor-by-neighbor, door-by-door.

On Saturday, June 6th, people like you will be hosting Health Care Organizing Kickoff meetings across the country to talk about the actions we'll all take in the coming weeks and months to make health care reform a reality.

Will you please sign up to host one?
These meetings will be crucial to our health care organizing efforts in your community, and that's why it's so important for you to play a major role.

At your meeting, you and your friends and neighbors will kick off your community's push to reform health care by learning more about the President's three core principles, sharing personal stories, and planning a health care Day of Service activity for June 27th. You'll also set up times to speak with your neighbors about health care reform, and make calls to ask others to get involved.

While this debate is heating up, it's important that we organize now to ensure that President Obama's core principles are included in any comprehensive health care reform.

So please sign up today to host a Health Care Organizing Kickoff meeting.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

Message from David Plouffe: "Swiftboating health care"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:00:13 EDT

Today, David Plouffe sent out an urgent message with an update on the fast brewing healthcare battle:

We knew healthcare reform would face fierce opposition -- and it's begun. As we speak, the same people behind the notorious "swiftboat" ads of 2004 are already pumping millions of dollars into deceptive television ads. Their plan is simple: torpedo healthcare reform before it sees the light of day by scaring the public and distorting the President's approach.

We need the resources to take them head on with an urgent, grassroots campaign to pass real healthcare reform in 2009.

When the swiftboaters flood the airwaves with distortions, we'll flood the streets with volunteers armed with facts. When they send lobbyists to tell Congress to back down, we'll send millions of calls, letters, and stories from real Americans asking them to stand up.

Please donate $5 or more by midnight Sunday to fight back against these phony attacks and take our message of reform to the American people.
The swiftboaters are once again trying to sell the American people short. As during the election, we deserve a serious conversation -- not fear-mongering and deceit. You and I see the importance of healthcare reform every day. We can't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to face one of America's greatest challenges head on.

Passing real healthcare reform will be the toughest, most important challenge we've faced together since electing Barack Obama President.

But it's also a big reason we fought so hard to get here. I know that by working together, and speaking with one, determined voice, we can prevail over the cynics and defenders of the status quo. America's families are counting on us to do just that.

Donate $5 or more to defend healthcare reform today.

Thank you,

David Plouffe

President Obama on Healthcare Reform: "We've got to get it done this year"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:40:49 EDT

UPDATED w/ VIDEO:

From President Obama's remarks to the press, following his meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats:

As Speaker Pelosi just mentioned, the House is working to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31st, before they head out for the August recess. And that's the kind of urgency and determination that we need to achieve what I believe will be historic legislation.

As I've said before, and as all Americans know, our health care system is broken. It's unsustainable for families, for businesses. It is unsustainable for the federal government and state governments.
...That's why we've got to get this done. We've got to get it done this year. We've got to get it done this year -- both in the House and in the Senate. And we don't have any excuses; the stars are aligned.

...And I want the message to go out all across America, we are not going to rest until we've delivered the kind of health care reform that's going to bring down cost for families, and improve quality, affordability, accessibility for all Americans.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

House Democrats Promise to Take Up Healthcare Reform by July 31st

Christopher Hass — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:21:15 EDT

After meeting with President Obama this morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to begin debate on healthcare reform before Congress adjourns for the August recess.

From the Associated Press:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that her chamber would have a sweeping health care bill on the floor by the end of July, an announcement that President Barack Obama hailed.

... Pelosi, D-Calif., and other House Democrats had met with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office just before going outside to make their announcement. No Republicans were present, and neither were any senators.

"We promised him that we will have this important legislation on the floor of the House before the August break," Pelosi announced. "Our goal is to have a healthier America."

Neither the speaker nor the president offered details of how the legislation will look, the subject of ongoing debate on Capitol Hill. The White House is remaining mostly quiet as proposals emerge for discussion among lawmakers, preferring to let Congress come up with a plan and engage more on the specifics later on.

President Obama was on hand for the announcement, and he commended House Democrats for their sense of urgency in addressing healthcare reform. The President also reiterated his commitment to "healthcare reform that's going to bring down costs for families, improve quality, affordability, accessibility for all Americans."

With debate on the specifics of healthcare reform set to begin soon, it is more important than ever to make clear to legislators how important this issue is to everyday Americans. If you haven't already done so, take a moment to sign a declaration of support urging Congress to follow President Obama's core principles for health care reform -- and to enact real healthcare reform before the end of this year.

Message from Mitch Stewart: "It's time to stand up"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:15:19 EDT

From Mitch Stewart:

Monday morning, an unlikely gathering of health care industry and union leaders emerged from the White House, announcing a historic agreement to lower medical costs and save the average family up to $2,500. This kind of broad coalition would have been unthinkable in the past, when the old politics of division and short-term self interest held sway. But this is a new day.

Yesterday afternoon, President Obama announced the three bedrock principles that any comprehensive health care reform must achieve: (1) reduce costs, (2) guarantee choice, and (3) ensure all Americans have quality, affordable health care. And he set a hard goal for getting it done by the end of this year.

For those determined to oppose reform, the President's announcement means lobbyists are already scrambling across D.C. For the rest of us, it means there's no time to lose. As we speak, Congress is negotiating the details for health care reform, so the first step is showing where the American people stand.

Please click below to sign a declaration of support urging Congress to follow President Obama's three core principles for health care reform -- and to enact them before the end of this year:

(The more signatures we have, the more powerful our message will be, so please add your name and then forward this note on to family and friends.)
The health care crisis is not new, but it's getting worse. For decades, real health care reform has been blocked by special interest lobbying and political point-scoring. We simply cannot go any further down this dangerous road of delay and denial. But we don't have to.

Yesterday's agreement marks only the beginning of the broad coalition we need. The most important reason this round of health care reform will be different is you. Last fall millions of regular people came together and did the impossible. Now, we've got to roll up our sleeves, join hands with those new to our movement, and do it again.

Congress is already hammering out the details of the health care package, and it could still go any number of ways. Our representatives need to understand that when the President lays out these three bedrock principles, Americans of every stripe are standing with him. Yesterday's diverse gathering was a powerful start -- and now it's up to us.

It's time to stand up. Please sign the declaration of support today.

Reducing costs, guaranteeing choice, and ensuring care for all are ambitious goals, but they are nothing less than what the American people deserve. And passing real health care reform this year is nothing less than what the American people need.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

President Obama: Health Care Reform is "A Necessity That Cannot Wait"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:08:46 EDT

This morning President Obama met with a diverse group of organizations and associations that will play a key role in health care reform, including representatives from insurance companies, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and unions. The purpose of the meeting was to address the rising costs of health care, one of the central challenges to comprehensive reform. President Obama explained:

For decades, Washington has debated what to do about this. For decades, we've talked about reducing costs, improving care, and providing coverage to uninsured Americans. But all too often, efforts at reform have fallen victim to special interest lobbying aimed at keeping things the way they are; to political point-scoring that sees health care not as a moral issue or an economic issue, but as a wedge issue; and to a failure on all sides to come together on behalf of the American people.

And that's what makes today's meeting so remarkable -- because it's a meeting that might not have been held just a few years ago. The groups who are here today represent different constituencies with different sets of interests. They've not always seen eye to eye with each other or with our government on what needs to be done to reform health care in this country. In fact, some of these groups were among the strongest critics of past plans for comprehensive reform.

But what's brought us all together today is a recognition that we can't continue down the same dangerous road we've been traveling for so many years; that costs are out of control; and that reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait. It's a recognition that the fictional television couple, Harry and Louise, who became the iconic faces of those who opposed health care reform in the '90s, desperately need health care reform in 2009. And so does America.

Over the last decade, Americans have seen their out-of-pocket expenses soar, while health care premiums doubled at a rate four times faster than wages. Today, half of all personal bankruptcies currently stem from medical expenses. The various groups who attended today's meeting have voluntarily made an unprecedented commitment. Together, they have pledged to cut the rate of growth of national health care spending by 1.5 percentage points each year over the next ten years -- an amount that's equal to over $2 trillion.

President Obama concluded:

Ultimately, the debate about reducing costs -- and the larger debate about health care reform itself -- is not just about numbers; it's not just about forms or systems; it's about our own lives and the lives of our loved ones. And I understand that. As I've mentioned before during the course of the campaign, my mother passed away from ovarian cancer a little over a decade ago. And in the last weeks of her life, when she was coming to grips with her own mortality and showing extraordinary courage just to get through each day, she was spending too much time worrying about whether her health insurance would cover her bills. So I know what it's like to see a loved one who is suffering, but also having to deal with a broken health care system. I know that pain is shared by millions of Americans all across this country.

And that's why I was committed to health care reform as a presidential candidate; that's why health care reform is a key priority to this presidency; that's why I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is finally achieved in the United States of America. And that's why I'm thrilled to have such a broad, diverse group of individuals from all across the health care spectrum representing every constituency and every political predisposition who feel that same sense of urgency and are committing themselves to work diligently to bring down costs so we can achieve the reforms that we seek.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

Message from Mitch Stewart: The Work You Did

Christopher Hass — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:47:26 EDT

Mitch Stewart sent out an email today thanking supporters for the work they did to help pass the President's budgets, and asking them to help spread the word about the work they're doing in communities across America:

Last week, Congress passed President Obama's budget. It's a budget that works for ordinary Americans, and it's all thanks to people like you.

Members of Organizing for America spoke up and asked Congress to lay a new foundation for American growth by passing a budget that invests in energy, health care, and education -- and that's exactly what they did.

But as the President said on his hundredth day in office, we should be pleased with our progress so far, but not satisfied. There's so much more work to do, and to get it done we need to keep growing this movement.

Please take the next step by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper -- share your story about how you helped pass this budget, and invite folks in your community to join in.

Write and submit your letter online by clicking here.

On election night in November, President Obama told us that our victory was just the chance to make the change that we seek.

The work we're doing now is crucial to enact the reforms our country so desperately needs -- and with your help, people can understand why.

Over the last several weeks, members of Organizing for America gave their time and energy to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures and make just as many calls to Congress, helping to pass a budget that creates jobs, reduces our deficit, and makes crucial investments in energy, health care, and education.

Write a letter to the editor to share that success in your neighborhood, and bolster this movement the same way it has grown from the beginning -- neighbor to neighbor.

Passing this budget was no small task, but we always knew it wouldn't be easy.

The fights ahead will be tougher, and the stakes will be higher. With the special interests gearing up to block or water down the President's agenda, we'll need to count on your active involvement to defeat them, and we'll need to get even more people involved if we hope to succeed.

Write a letter to the editor now to show the power of the movement that helped pass the President's budget, and how much is yet to come.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Student Loans: Standing with the President

Christopher Hass — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:17:12 EDT

Last month, President Obama proposed a dramatic shift in how the government operates student loan programs -- a change that would make college more affordable for millions of Americans. Private banks are currently making huge profits by taking taxpayer money and acting as the middleman for millions of students, a practice that President Obama has proposed ending. By cutting out the banks and lenders as middlemen, the government will save billions over the next decade funds that can be used to expand Pell Grants, to offer tuition tax credits, and to launch college completion programs for students who need it.

Today, Organizing for America Political Director Addisu Demissie sent a message encouraging supporters to send a message to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Education Committees:

You know how important financial assistance is for students across America who dream of a brighter future. That's why we need your help to fix a broken system.

Right now, taxpayers are paying a massive subsidy to the banks that currently make most student loans. It's a system that wastes taxpayer dollars -- money that could instead help students afford college -- while helping banks make massive profits.

That's money that we can't afford to waste, which is why President Obama wants to use it to expand Pell Grants, offer tuition tax credits, and launch college completion programs for students who need it.

Watch the President lay out his vision for a new student loans system and tell Congressional leaders that you support it:
President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act already dramatically increased college affordability, providing relief to as many as 13 million families with currently enrolled students.

But President Obama's plan for federal direct lending will build on these gains and help provide steady funding to ensure that the door to college is open to every American.

The special interests -- bankers, lenders, and their lobbyists -- are lining up against this plan, and that's why I'm asking for your help.

Stand with the President now. Please contact the leaders in Congress who can make a real difference -- add your voice.
Thanks,

Addisu

Addisu Demissie
Political Director
Organizing for America

Video: President Obama on Closing Tax Loopholes

Amy Hamblin — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:11:32 EDT

(video via Whitehouse.gov)

Earlier today, President Obama announced his proposal to crack down on the individuals and the corporations who dodge their duty to pay taxes by hiding money in off-shore accounts, as well as the financial institutions who abet in such tax scams. Closing this loophole and making other long overdue tax reforms, President Obama estimated, will save taxpayers roughly $210 billion over the next 10 years.

In his own words...

Now, for years, we've talked about stopping Americans from illegally hiding their money overseas, and getting tough with the financial institutions that let them get away with it. The Treasury Department and the IRS, under Secretary Geithner's leadership and Commissioner Shulman's, are already taking far-reaching steps to catch overseas tax cheats -- but they need more support.

And that's why I'm asking Congress to pass some commonsense measures. One of these measures would let the IRS know how much income Americans are generating in overseas accounts by requiring overseas banks to provide 1099s for their American clients, just like Americans have to do for their bank accounts here in this country. If financial institutions won't cooperate with us, we will assume that they are sheltering money in tax havens, and act accordingly. And to ensure that the IRS has the tools it needs to enforce our laws, we're seeking to hire nearly 800 more IRS agents to detect and pursue American tax evaders abroad.

He also spoke more generally about the need to make our tax code fairer by getting rid tax incentives that hurt working American families, such as tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas.

Read his full remarks...

The Weekly Address

Amy Hamblin — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:18:48 EDT

President Obama on Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:00:58 EDT

A consumer protection bill freezing interest rate hikes on existing credit card balances cleared the House earlier today. President Obama, who has advocated for tighter credit card regulation, released the following statement:

Today, under the leadership of Representatives Barney Frank, Carolyn Maloney, and Luis Gutierrez, members of both parties in the House of Representatives came together to protect American consumers, paving the way toward real, meaningful credit card reform. While Americans have a responsibility to live within their means and pay what they owe, credit card companies have a responsibility to set rules that are fair and transparent. The principles I have long supported would help ensure that these responsibilities are met: strong and reliable consumer protections; credit card forms and statements that have plain language in plain sight; tools that can help people make an informed choice about what credit card to use; and beefed up monitoring, enforcement, and penalties. And building on what we have achieved today, I will work with Congress in the weeks to come so that I can sign a credit card reform bill into law that upholds these principles and upholds the interests of the American people.

President Obama on Breathing New Life into Chrysler

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:23:29 EDT

President Obama announced earlier today a plan to resuscitate Chrysler through bankruptcy protection and a deal with Fiat.

After consulting with my Auto Task Force, I can report that the necessary steps have been taken to give one of America's most storied automakers, Chrysler, a new lease on life.

This is a company that has a particular claim on our American identity. It's a company founded in the early years of the American automobile industry; a company that helped make the 20th century an American Century; and that came to embody, along with the two other members of the Big Three, the ingenuity, the industriousness, and the indomitable spirit of the American people.

Read his full remarks...

Video: President Obama on His 100th Day in Office

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:14:06 EDT

Yesterday President Obama reflected on the foundation for change he has laid in his first 100 days in Arnold, MO, and later at a White House press conference. Watch a video of highlights from yesterday or read the transcript from the press conference...

Update: Budget Passes Congress, Preserves President's Priorities

Amy Hamblin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:46:38 EDT

Update: The budget has now passed in both chambers of Congress, capping off President Obama's 100th day in office.

Thanks to all of our volunteers who collected more than 600,000 pledges of support for the President's budget priorities. These pledges were delivered to members of Congress and contributed to the budget's passage.

Earlier today, the House backed a newer version of the fiscal 2010 budget plan, which supports many of President Obama's major policy priorities, including health care, education and energy reform.

After both chambers of Congress passed their own fiscal blueprints in early April, members on the Budget Conference Committee have been working out a deal to reconcile the two versions. Now that the House has endorsed the newer version to come out of these talks, the Senate must vote on the budget for final passage. The Senate is expected to vote later today, the 100th day since President Obama took office.

From the New York Times:

[The budget] opens the door to major overhauls in health care, energy and education, but requires that they not add to the deficit...

The budget gives Democrats significant room for maneuvering as they move ahead with a health care plan, by providing procedural protection against a Senate filibuster for that legislation, which is still in the early stages of drafting, and allowing 11 years to pay for any health care initiative.

From the Associated Press:

Perhaps most significantly, the budget plan would give Democrats a stronger hand in advancing Obama's health care initiative this fall by allowing it to go forward without threat of GOP stalling tactics in the Senate. Democrats pledge to first try passing health care legislation with GOP support.

A Foundation for Change

Amy Hamblin — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:53:29 EDT

We're one day out from President Obama's 100th day in office. In this short time, he has begun confronting head-on America's toughest challenges and delivering the change he promised -- and voters demanded -- during the campaign. Not only has he taken immediate steps to address the economic crisis in the short-term, but he also has set us on a path toward sustainable, long-term prosperity by investing in clean energy technology, our education system and healthcare infrastructure.

To jumpstart our economy, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law just two weeks into his term. This sweeping legislation saves or creates 3.5 million jobs, provides tax relief for 95 percent of working Americans and protects about 20 million people at risk of losing Medicaid or SCHIP eligility due to budget shortfalls.

To further help everyday American struggling to make ends meet, President Obama also announced a foreclosure prevention package, which allows up to 9 million homeowners to obtain better mortgage terms. Learn more about what action the President has taken since coming to office on a host of issues, including the Iraq War, fair pay and national service.

The impact of the President's investments, reforms and policies can be felt in communities across the country. Click on our interactive map below to see what changes are already happening in your state:

The reality is that we still have a lot of work to do to get our country to where it needs to be. President Obama has done an amazing job laying a foundation for change, but it's going to take more than one man to remake America. That's where Organizing for America comes in. We'll be continuing to mobilize everyday Americans in support of the President's bold agenda of change. Look for more opportunities to get involved in the coming weeks and months.

President Obama Makes Commitment to Increase Research and Development Funding

Amy Hamblin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:15:54 EDT

Speaking before the National Academy of Sciences earlier this morning, President Obama emphasized the need to get America to lead again in science and technology. After years of watching other countries catch up to us as we made fewer and fewer investments in those areas key to America's prosperity, President Obama announced his commitment to dedicating more than three percent of our GDP to research and development.

At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science. That support for research is somehow a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been. And if there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared stake in science and research, it’s today.

In his speech, President Obama also announced members of Science and Technology Advisory Council, a group of the nation's leading scientists who will counsel the President on how to help reinvigorate the economy and create sustainable prosperity.

Science and technology has been one of the President's top priorities since coming to office. More than $21 billion in The Recovery Act is going toward research and development, the largest increase in our country’s history. Additionally, The Recovery Act makes major investments in broadband networks, clean energy technologies, and health information technology.

The President’s fiscal-year 2010 budget also reflects this priority, including funding to:

sustain increases in basic research
make the research and experimentation tax credit permanent
triple the number of the National Science Foundation’s graduate research fellowships

Read the full-text of the President's remarks today…

President Obama on Higher Education and Reforming Student Loans

Christopher Hass — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:30:56 EDT

"In the end, this is not about growing the size of government or relying on the free market -- because it's not a free market when we have a student loan system that's rigged to reward private lenders without any risk. It's about whether we want to give tens of billions of tax dollars to special interests or whether we want to make college more affordable for eight and a half million more students." -- President Barack Obama

On Friday, President Obama delivered an important policy speech, in which he addressed the rising cost of a college education and proposed a dramatic shift in how the government operates student loan programs -- a change that would make college more affordable for millions of Americans.

"There are few things as fundamental to the American Dream or as essential for America's success as a good education," the President remarked. "Yet in a paradox of American life, at the very moment it's never been more important to have a quality higher education, the cost of that kind of that kind of education has never been higher."

Over the past few decades, the cost of tuition at private colleges has more than doubled, while costs at public institutions have nearly tripled. Tuition has grown ten times faster than a typical family's income, while inefficiencies in the student loan system provide lenders billions of dollars in wasteful subsidies instead of making college more affordable for all Americans.

In his speech, the President explained the difference between the two main kinds of federal loans -- Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL loans). The main difference between Direct Loans and private FFEL loans is that under the FFEL program, taxpayers pay banks a premium to act as middlemen -- a premium that costs the American people billions of dollars each year. With FFEL loans (which make up the majority of all college loans) lenders get a big government subsidy with every loan they make. These loans are then guaranteed with taxpayer money, which means that if a student defaults, a lender can get back almost all of its money from the government.

In his speech today, President Obama called for an ending of the FFEL program and shifting entirely over to Direct Loans:

[This] is a step that even a conservative estimate predicts will save tens of billions of tax dollars over the next ten years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the money we could save by cutting out the middleman would pay for 95 percent of our plan to guarantee growing Pell Grants. This would help ensure that every American, everywhere in this country, can out-compete any worker, anywhere in the world.

In the end, this is not about growing the size of government or relying on the free market -- because it's not a free market when we have a student loan system that's rigged to reward private lenders without any risk. It's about whether we want to give tens of billions of tax dollars to special interests or whether we want to make college more affordable for eight and a half million more students. I think most of us would agree on what the right answer is.

Now, some of you have probably seen how this proposal was greeted by the special interests. The banks and the lenders who have reaped a windfall from these subsidies have mobilized an army of lobbyists to try to keep things the way they are. They are gearing up for battle. So am I. They will fight for their special interests. I will fight for Stephanie, and other American students and their families. And for those who care about America's future, this is a battle we can't afford to lose.

So I am looking forward to having this debate in the days and weeks ahead. And I am confident that if all of us here in Washington do what's in the best interests of the people we represent, and reinvest not only in opening the doors of college but making sure students can walk through them, then we will help deliver the change that the American people sent us here to make. We will help Americans fulfill their promise as individuals. And we will help America fulfill its promise as a nation.

The proposal follows on significant action already taken: together, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the President’s Budget provide about $200 billion in Pell Grant scholarships and tax credits over the next decade, including giving millions of families up to $2,500 each to help pay for college.

Taken together, these steps amount to the most significant effort to expand access to college since the GI Bill.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

President Obama in Iowa: "A Choice Between Prosperity and Decline"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:06:37 EDT

President Obama returned to Iowa yesterday, where he toured a wind production facility which now occupies part of a factory that had been shuttered in 2007. The factory, the President Obama noted, is "alive again with new industry," as a symbol of a new energy economy.

From WhiteHouse.gov:

The President placed what was happening in Iowa in the context of two centuries of energy innovation in America, but noted America’s leadership in innovation had always been coupled with an alarming rise consumption. The President ran down the all-too-familiar list of problems our energy consumption and oil dependence brings, from those people face every day like prices at the gas pump, to those that have a broader but equally serious impact like the trade deficit, constraints on foreign policy, and the prospect of irrevocable climate change left as a burden for out children.

As the President has stated again and again, these problems also represent a fundamental weakness in our economy which will prevent long term stability as long as we refuse to address them. And while those interests who have profited off of this weakness have aligned to defend the status quo and paint change as a danger, the President forcefully framed what this choice is all about:

"We can't afford that approach anymore -- not when the cost for our economy, for our country, and for our planet is so high. So on this Earth Day, it is time for us to lay a new foundation for economic growth by beginning a new era of energy exploration in America. That's why I'm here.

Now, the choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline. We can remain the world's leading importer of oil, or we can become the world's leading exporter of clean energy. We can allow climate change to wreak unnatural havoc across the landscape, or we can create jobs working to prevent its worst effects. We can hand over the jobs of the 21st century to our competitors, or we can confront what countries in Europe and Asia have already recognized as both a challenge and an opportunity: The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy.

America can be that nation. America must be that nation."

Read the President's full remarks . . .

Van Jones: Green Jobs for a Green Future

Christopher Hass — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:52:40 EDT

From WhiteHouse.gov, Van Jones, the Special Advisor for Green Jobs for the White House, provides a glimpse of the new energy economy that's on the way -- green roofing:

Green roofing is just one of the countless green job opportunities that can be created with a new energy economy. As a reminder, at 1:00 PM Eastern today we'll be hosting a live online chat with Majora Carter, a pioneer in the green jobs sector who has worked with businesses and communities around the world to help unlock their green-collar economic potential.

A Call to Serve: President Obama Signs the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

Christopher Hass — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:57:43 EDT

This afternoon, President Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. The national service bill dramatically increases the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years, expands ways for students to earn money for college, and creates opportunities for all Americans to serve in the communities. The President was joined by Senator Kennedy, President Bill Clinton, the Congressional leaders who supported the legislation, and countless others dedicated to passage of the bill at the SEED School, where service is a core part of the curriculum.

In his remarks, the President spoke of the importance of service and the opportunities this act will create, while announcing a major new call to service:

Ted [Kennedy]’s story and the story of his family is known to all. It’s a story of service. And it’s also the story of America -- of hard work and sacrifice of generation after generation, some called upon to give more than others, but each committed to the idea that we can make tomorrow better than today. I wouldn’t be standing here today if not for the service of others, or for the purpose that service gave my own life.

I’ve told this story before. When I moved to Chicago more than two decades ago to become a community organizer, I wasn’t sure what was waiting for me there, but I had always been inspired by the stories of the civil rights movement, and President Kennedy’s call to service, and I knew I wanted to do my part to advance the cause of justice and equality.
And it wasn’t easy, but eventually, over time, working with leaders from all across these communities, we began to make a difference -- in neighborhoods that had been devastated by steel plants that had closed down and jobs that had dried up. We began to see a real impact in people’s lives. And I came to realize I wasn’t just helping people, I was receiving something in return, because through service I found a community that embraced me, citizenship that was meaningful, the direction that I had been seeking. I discovered how my own improbable story fit into the larger story of America.

It’s the same spirit of service I’ve seen across this country. I’ve met countless people of all ages and walks of life who want nothing more than to do their part. I’ve seen a rising generation of young people work and volunteer and turn out in record numbers. They’re a generation that came of age amidst the horrors of 9/11 and Katrina, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economic crisis without precedent. And yet, despite all this -- or more likely because of it -- they’ve become a generation of activists possessed with that most American of ideas, that people who love their country can change it.
... What this legislation does, then, is to help harness this patriotism and connect deeds to needs. It creates opportunities to serve for students, seniors, and everyone in between. It supports innovation and strengthens the nonprofit sector. And it is just the beginning of a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to involve our greatest resource -- our citizens -- in the work of remaking this nation.

Today also marked the launch of Serve.gov, a new online portal designed to help people find ways in which they can serve in their own communities, based on their interests and abilities. In his speech, President Obama called on all Americans to make their own personal commitment to service over the next week:

A week from tomorrow marks the 100th day of my administration. In those next eight days, I ask every American to make an enduring commitment to serving your community and your country in whatever way you can. Visit WhiteHouse.gov to share your stories of service and success. And together, we will measure our progress not just in number of hours served or volunteers mobilized – but in the impact our efforts have on the life of this nation.

Read the President's full remarks ...

Back on the Ground: OFA Listening Tours Kick Off in Iowa

Christopher Hass — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:13:21 EDT

"What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you." -- Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

On Tuesday night in Carroll, Iowa, 15 people gathered at Sam's Sodas and Sandwiches to talk to OFA staffer Derek Eadon about their community, the issues that affect everyday life in Carroll, and what they can do to help realize the change they worked so hard for as part of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In many ways this small gathering echoed the same kinds of the meetings that took place in diners and homes in the early days of the Iowa Caucus campaign, over two years ago.

This time however, the focus was not on Barack Obama or the caucus, or any election at all. This time the focus was on how to build support both in Iowa and in Washington D.C for the President's agenda; how to make that change. They talked about health care, shared memories of meeting Senator Obama during the campaign, and discussed ways to build on the grassroots organization that grew out of that movement.

The Carroll meeting was the kick-off of the Iowa Listening Tour, one of many Listening Tours taking place across the country this summer. At these meetings, supporters are able to meet new state staff members, hear about some of the lessons learned during the election, and offer their thoughts on how best to organize in their communities. "We have just one goal for these events - to listen," Derek Eadon explained. "[Our supporters], more than anyone else, know what approaches will work best in Iowa and we're eager to hear their ideas."

The Quad City Times reported:

The successor to President Barack Obama’s groundbreaking grassroots campaign has opened up shop in Iowa, and over the next two weeks it will host more than a dozen forums, including one next week in Davenport.

...“These listening tours will be one of our first major undertakings as we ramp up across the country,” said Natalie Wyeth, a spokesperson.

Already, the group has a paid staffer in the state.

This kind of an effort isn’t the norm in Iowa, particularly so far from an election, according to a party veteran.

“It’s very unusual that it would happen this early,” said Dave Nagle, former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party.

...The paid staffer in Iowa is Derek Eadon, who began work about a month ago. Eadon was a regional field director in eastern Iowa during the presidential election, and he’s now working out of the Iowa Democratic Party office in Des Moines.

...The group intends to continue relying heavily on volunteers.

Seventeen meetings have been scheduled across the state through the end of the month by Organizing for America.

In the Quad-Cities, the director of the QCA for Change group is a point of contact, Eadon said. That group has already undertaken some volunteer efforts. The group has about 50 members.

“We’re going to be a vital part of the organization,” said Roland Lamantia, director of QCA for Change.

In addition to Iowa, Listening Tours have already begun in Georgia, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, and Texas. These events will be taking place throughout the summer, and we'll have updates in the coming weeks as more staff are deployed across the country. If you've attended an event this week or are planning on being at one, let us know in the comments below.

President Obama Economic Speech at Georgetown: "A New Foundation"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:26:18 EDT

In Georgetown this morning, President Obama gave a major speech on the progress that has been made so far with the administration's efforts to address the economic crisis, as well as his underlying vision for a long-term recovery. This speech was, in the President's words, a chance to discuss "what we've done, why we've done it, and what we have left to do."

I want to update you on the progress we've made, and be honest about the pitfalls that may lie ahead. And most of all, I want every American to know that each action we take and each policy we pursue is driven by a larger vision of America's future - a future where sustained economic growth creates good jobs and rising incomes; a future where prosperity is fueled not by excessive debt, reckless speculation, and fleeing profit, but is instead built by skilled, productive workers; by sound investments that will spread opportunity at home and allow this nation to lead the world in the technologies, innovations, and discoveries that will shape the 21st century. That is the America I see. That is the future I know we can have.
...All of these actions - the Recovery Act, the bank capitalization program, the housing plan, the strengthening of the non-bank credit market, the auto plan, and our work at the G20 - have been necessary pieces of the recovery puzzle. They have been designed to increase aggregate demand, get credit flowing again to families and businesses, and help them ride out the storm. And taken together, these actions are starting to generate signs of economic progress. Because of our recovery plan, schools and police departments have cancelled planned layoffs. Clean energy companies and construction companies are re-hiring workers to build everything from energy efficient windows to new roads and highways. Our housing plan has helped lead to a spike in the number of homeowners who are taking advantage of historically-low mortgage rates by refinancing, which is like putting a $2,000 tax cut in your in pocket. Our program to support the market for auto loans and student loans has started to unfreeze this market and securitize more of this lending in the last few weeks. And small businesses are seeing a jump in loan activity for the first time in months.

This is all welcome and encouraging news, but it does not mean that hard times are over. 2009 will continue to be a difficult year for America's economy. The severity of this recession will cause more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain before it ends. The market will continue to rise and fall. Credit is still not flowing nearly as easily as it should. The process for restructuring AIG and the auto companies will involve difficult and sometimes unpopular choices. All of this means that there is much more work to be done. And all of this means that you can continue to expect an unrelenting, unyielding, day-by-day effort from this administration to fight for economic recovery on all fronts.

...It is simply not sustainable to have a 21st century financial system that is governed by 20th century rules and regulations that allowed the recklessness of a few to threaten the entire economy. It is not sustainable to have an economy where in one year, 40% of our corporate profits came from a financial sector that was based too much on inflated home prices, maxed out credit cards, overleveraged banks and overvalued assets; or an economy where the incomes of the top 1% have skyrocketed while the typical working household has seen their income decline by nearly $2,000.

For as some were chasing ever-bigger bonuses and short-term profits over the last decade, we continued to neglect the long-term threats to our prosperity: the crushing burden that the rising cost of health care is placing on families and businesses; the failure of our education system to prepare our workers for a new age; the progress that other nations are making on clean energy industries and technologies while we remain addicted to foreign oil; the growing debt that we're passing on to our children. And even after we emerge from the current recession, these challenges will still represent major obstacles that stand in the way of our success in the 21st century.
There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells the story of two men. The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was destroyed as soon as the storm hit. But the second is known as the wise man, for when "...the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house...it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand. We must build our house upon a rock. We must lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity - a foundation that will move us from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest; where we consume less at home and send more exports abroad.

...There is no doubt that times are still tough. By no means are we out of the woods just yet. But from where we stand, for the very first time, we are beginning to see glimmers of hope. And beyond that, way off in the distance, we can see a vision of an America's future that is far different than our troubled economic past. It's an America teeming with new industry and commerce; humming with new energy and discoveries that light the world once more. A place where anyone from anywhere with a good idea or the will to work can live the dream they've heard so much about.

Read the President's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

Message from David Plouffe

Christopher Hass — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:09:08 EDT

Today David Plouffe followed up Mitch Stewart's message from yesterday with one of his own:

It makes you wonder whether they see the same thing we do.

Advocates for the status quo are calling for President Obama to fail while millions of families struggle. They're playing the same old political games and offering the same failed policies at a time of crisis.

In the coming days, opponents will do everything they can to destroy the President's proposed budget, a bold plan to help fix our broken economy and healthcare system and finally make energy and education the priority we all know they must be.

The change we need won't come without a fight -- no meaningful change ever does. Just like in the campaign, Barack Obama can't win without you by his side. Town by town, block by block, this grassroots movement is organizing and uniting Americans behind the President's plan.

But to finish what we started, we need resources.

Will you join the fight? Before Monday, April 13th, make a donation of $25 or more to help President Obama turn this country around.
We know that Washington won't change overnight. It'll take time, commitment, and money, but this grassroots movement can make change a reality -- affordable health care, a clean energy economy, and quality education for all. We know we are asking a lot from you -- but the stakes couldn't be higher.

It's why we worked so hard to elect President Obama, and he's counting on us to follow through. Today, you can make a difference.

Jo Ann from Charlotte, NC, has joined thousands of other supporters this week to support this movement and reject the same old politics:
"I am a sixty-two year old woman on disability. I followed the election closely and did what I could to get Obama elected. Since he was inaugurated, I have watched in awe to see how much has already been accomplished. I live in Charlotte, NC where the unemployment rates are double digits and going up. My youngest son was out of work for 8 months because the company he worked for went out of business. So many workers and families are losing jobs and homes. There's so much more to be done, but this budget has to be passed and the programs have to be put into practice before things start to recover. That's why I support President Obama and his plans."
Americans like Jo Ann deserve better than the kind of divisive politics we've seen year after year. They deserve a truthful debate about real issues and a budget that will turn this economy around so that they can turn their lives around.

We need to seize this crucial moment to help pass this budget and invest in the one thing that can make President Obama's promises of change a reality -- the movement you built.

Before the Monday deadline, strengthen this movement. Make a donation of $25 or more today.

Thank you for all that you do,

David Plouffe

Message from President Obama: "A major step"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:01:53 EDT

This afternoon, President Obama sent out a special thank you message to the supporters who canvassed, called, and organized to build support in their communities and in Washington for the President's budget:

Thanks in no small part to your incredible work and dedication, we have taken another step towards creating jobs and rebuilding our struggling economy.

Last week, the budget I submitted to Congress passed both the House and the Senate and it embraces our most fundamental priorities: an energy plan that will end our dependence on foreign oil and spur a new clean energy economy; an education system that will give our children the tools to compete in the economy of the 21st century; and health care reform that finally confronts the back-breaking costs plaguing families, businesses and government alike.

Thousands of you signed pledges of support, knocked on doors, made phone calls, and talked to your friends and neighbors about this budget and the investments it makes in our long-term prosperity. You showed Washington that ordinary citizens are demanding change and are willing to work for it.

Our work on the budget isn't finished -- Congress still has to agree on a final version. But your efforts have sent a message that Washington can't ignore.

I'll be counting on you even more in the coming weeks and months. The budget Congress passes will be a critical blueprint for the changes we'll bring about. But that's when the real work begins -- the work that will bring health care to every American, transform our economy to run on clean energy, provide our children with the best education in the world, and bring about a new era of prosperity.

Thank you for everything you've done,

President Barack Obama

"Special Delivery"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:49:13 EDT

Under the headline "Special Delivery," the National Journal has more on today's event on Capitol Hill:

Organizing For America dispatched 200 volunteers today to Capitol Hill armed with citizen pledges supporting Pres. Obama's budget.

"Look at this, I got goosebumps when I saw it," said Caroline Joss, a Washington, DC, resident, when she wandered into OFA's makeshift dispatch center at Democratic National Committee headquarters. "It's evidence of how you keep volunteers mobilized and pushing an agenda."

Stacked neatly in small bundles and wrapped in rope bows, the pledges were organized by district and stacked on tables in the room usually reserved for party press conferences. At the front of the room on a flat screen television hovered the Obama campaign 'O' - the rising sun over the red and white horizon. Volunteers streamed in and out, picking up the computerized pledges, which featured citizen names, cities, states and zip codes, but not actual signatures.

... Volunteers were assigned House members, provided with addresses and sent on their way, and then, if their schedules allowed, they'd return for another shipment. The Senate pledges were boxed by state, awaiting the vetting required of all mail to members, said Mitch Stewart, OFA director.

One commonality among volunteers who turned out is that they were highly engaged in the campaign. Joss said she worked in Manassas during the general election to help turn the Commonwealth blue. Mayberry, a federal government worker who took the day off to participate, created a Web site for Obama.

... Ken Schulz, a PA field staffer for Obama during the campaign, noted that before this campaign, a newly elected president would say, "thank you, I'll take it from here." But Obama is proving with OFA that he wants more from his volunteers than just their votes, Shulz said.

"It's more about supporting the guy that I busted 120 hours a week for," said Schulz, who lives in Arlington and found out about today's event on My.BarackObama.com. "I didn't work that hard to see what he ultimately achieved fail."

The National Journal also noted that Rep. Anh Joseph Cao (R-LA) was the Republican whose district produced the most signatures. Rep. Cao is notably one of the few Republican representatives who has publicly said that he may vote in favor of the President's budget. In all, over 640,000 individual pledges will be delivered to congressional representatives over the course of the day.

In the meantime, supporters across the country are continuing to call their congressional members to express their support for the commitments to health reform, education and energy independence that President Obama outlined in his budget proposal. There is still time to contact your representatives and let them know where you stand:

Budget Debate Begins in the Senate

Christopher Hass — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:59:17 EDT

Today's Senate calendar:

Convenes: 11:00am
Begin consideration of the Budget Resolution reported by the Budget committee.

With debate now underway, a final vote on the Senate and House budget resolutions is expected within the next few days. For almost a month now, supporters across the country have worked to raise awareness of the importance of this budget fight and to build support for the President's plan. Many of you have already spoken to your own representatives in Congress to urge them to support a budget that lays a foundation for economic recovery by investing in health care reform, education, and alternative energy.

Now in these final days before the budget vote, we're asking you to help spread the word to other supporters and let them know that this is their window of opportunity to have their voice be part of this important debate.

We've put together an online calling tool so that you can easily call other supporters and encourage them to speak to their own representatives.

As always, we'll provide you with a script and a targeted list of numbers to call. These calls are easy to make -- you'll be talking to fellow supporters -- and they couldn't come at a more crucial time.

It's important that people know what's at stake and what they can do to make a difference in the next few days. In the end this budget affects all of us, and the debate in Washington should include us all.

Help the Victims of the Red River Floods

Christopher Hass — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:24:01 EDT

On Wednesday President Obama declared a major disaster exists in the entire state of North Dakota, due to severe storms and flooding of the Red River. Yesterday the President declared an emergency exists in seven Minnesota counties to the east of the Red River as well.

Melting snow and heavy rains have caused the river to rise to record levels. Current projections are that the river could crest as high as 20 feet above flood level by Saturday, and water levels could remain high for many days.

Sandbagging operations in Fargo, North Dakota have continued non-stop throughout the week in subfreezing temperatures. City officials reported that about 3 million sandbags have been filled, but more volunteers are still needed. The American Red Cross is sending disaster workers into North Dakota and Minnesota to staff shelters that will be needed in the event of evacuations.

Despite the challenges, we've seen time and again that when ordinary people act together, they can make a difference.

Learn how you can help support the Red River disaster relief efforts.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the floods.

Learn more what you can do to help at RedCross.org.

Message from Mitch Stewart: Your Call

Christopher Hass — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:15:09 EDT

From Organizing for America Director Mitch Stewart:

Members of Congress will begin debating President Obama's budget tomorrow, with a vote likely set for next week.

What you do now will decide what kind of debate they have -- one that's dominated by special interests and partisan voices intent on keeping the status quo, or one that reflects the priorities of ordinary citizens like you.

Call your elected representatives now to let them know where you stand.
Your representatives need to know you support:

   • Renewable energy to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil
   • Making health care more affordable for every American by cutting costs
   • Improving education so our children are prepared for the jobs of the 21st Century

We can't afford to ignore the long-term threats to our prosperity. Now is the time to build a foundation for a recovery that lasts.

Get your representatives' contact information now and make your voice heard.
Thanks,

Mitch
Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

The President's Weekly Address: A Budget Equal to the Task Before Us

Christopher Hass — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:14:43 EDT

Most of our attention has been on the Pledge Project canvasses that took place this weekend, but on Saturday morning President Obama again touched on the agenda of his budget proposal, this time in his weekly video address. He discussed some of the lessons learned from his time spent outside Washington recently, which only reinforced the core principles in his budget:

Last week, I spent a few days in California, talking with ordinary Americans in town halls and in the places where they work. We talked about their struggles, and we talked about their hopes. At the end of the day, these men and women weren’t as concerned with the news of the day in Washington as they were about the very real and very serious challenges their families face every day: whether they’ll have a job and a paycheck to count on; whether they’ll be able to pay their medical bills or afford college tuition; whether they’ll be able to leave their children a world that’s safer and more prosperous than the one we have now.

Those are the concerns I heard about in California. They are the concerns I’ve heard about in letters from people throughout this country for the last two years. And they are the concerns addressed in the budget I sent to Congress last month.
... These investments are not a wish list of priorities that I picked out of thin air – they are a central part of a comprehensive strategy to grow this economy by attacking the very problems that have dragged it down for too long: the high cost of health care and our dependence on foreign oil; our education deficit and our fiscal deficit.

Video Message from President Obama: "That's where you come in"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:01:40 EDT

President Obama recorded a special message for you about the budget he's submitted to Congress and what you can do to help it pass.

Watch the video now and take action to make sure your representatives know you support this new direction:

The budget President Obama has proposed isn't the same old document Washington has come to expect year after year.

Right now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to finally confront the systemic problems that have held America back for far too long in energy, health care, and education.

But it's up to you to get involved and make it happen. Join a canvass this weekend and talk with everyone you know about the President's plan to secure long-term prosperity for our families.

After watching the President's video, you can also look up your elected representatives and let them know you support this new foundation for economic growth.

Thanks,

David Plouffe

Call Your Representatives

Christopher Hass — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:39:06 EDT

Veterans of the BarackObama.com blog will surely recognize the big red button at the bottom of this post: Make Calls. This time however, we're not asking you to call voters -- we're asking you to call your representatives in Congress. We need you to let them know that you support the commitment that President Obama made to health care, education and renewable energy in his recent budget outline, and we need you to ask them to support the President's plan as well.

Here's a sample script that you can use for your calls:

Hello, my name is __________ and I'm calling you from __________ (city or town).

I'm calling today because we are in the grips of the worst economic crisis in generations — and President Obama needs the support of every member of Congress to create jobs, fix our economy and rebuild and renew America.

The President has proposed a budget that is honest, responsible and invests in the priorities we need to get our economy moving again and create jobs now and in the future, including:
Renewable energy to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil
Making Health Care more affordable for every American by cutting costs
Improving education so our children are prepared for the jobs of the 21st Century
Can I count on Rep./Sen. _________ to support the President's plan?

Once you've finished, be sure to record the results of your calls. And feel free to also let everyone know how your calls went in the comments below. . .

President Obama on the Budget: A New Foundation for Growth

Christopher Hass — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:34:11 EDT

Following a private meeting with the chairmen of the House and Senate budget committees this morning, President Obama made a public statement on the budget outline that he recently submitted to Congress, in which he emphasized the need for investment in heath care reform, education and alternative energy to lay the foundation for future growth:

I don't just view this budget document as numbers on a page or a laundry list of programs. I see it as a economic blueprint for our future -- a foundation on which to build a recovery that lasts.

... That's why this budget makes the investments that will lead to real growth and real prosperity -- investments that will make a difference in the lives of this generation and future generations because it makes us more productive.

Because so many Americans are just one illness or medical emergency away from bankruptcy, we have made a historic commitment to health care reform in this budget -- reform that will finally lower costs for families, businesses, and state governments; reform that's not a luxury, but a necessity if we hope to bring down the cost of Medicare and Medicaid so that we can reduce our deficit in the long run. And this is a fight that Kent Conrad and John Spratt have been fighting for a long time. The two gentlemen standing with me today, they've been leaders in efforts to get these entitlement programs under control, and they understand that if we don't solve the problem of health care costs now, we are not going to be able to get a handle on entitlements down the road.

Because we know that the countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, this budget also invests in a complete and competitive education for every American -- in early childhood education programs that work; in high standards and accountability for our schools; in rewards for teachers who succeed; and an affordable college education for anyone who wants to go. That's the reason the three of us are standing here today. None of us were born with a silver spoon in our mouths -- but we got a great education. And if we combine additional resources with a commitment to reform, then I think we can deliver that for every American child.

Because we know that the new jobs and new industries of tomorrow will involve harnessing renewable resources -- renewable sources of energy, this budget will finally spark the transformation we need to create those jobs and those businesses right here in America. It makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy, and it invests in technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, fuel-efficient cars and trucks.

And because millions of Americans are already struggling under the weight of their monthly bills and mortgage payments, this budget does not raise the taxes of any family making less than $250,000 a year by a single dime. In fact, 95 percent of all working families will receive a tax cut as a result of our recovery plan.

...The American people sent us here to get things done. And in this moment of enormous challenge, they are watching and waiting for us to lead. Let's show them that we're equal to this task before us.

President Obama called for bi-partisan cooperation in crafting a final budget, adding that now is the time for good ideas, not point-scoring, and that just saying "no" is not an acceptable response to whatever economic policy is proposed by the other party.

The President himself earlier acknowledged that special interests and lobbyists are already gearing up for a fight against a budget that represents a real threat to the status quo in Washington. Which is why yesterday Organizing for America announced on unprecedented grassroots effort to build support for the President's plan in communities across the country, the same way supporters did during the election: block by block, door by door, one conversation at a time.

Last week, thousands of Americans pledged their support for the President's economic plan. This weekend, supporters will be going door to door in their own neighborhoods as part of a nation-wide day of canvassing. You can find an event in your area to take part in, or host your own.

As President Obama said earlier today, "We're going to need everybody working together to get this thing done."

Read President Obama's full remarks from this morning on the budget . . .

Front Page: "Obama Enlists Campaign Army In Budget Fight"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:38:56 EDT

From the front page of today's Washington Post:

President Obama will kick off an all-out grass-roots effort today urging Congress to pass his $3.55 trillion budget, activating the extensive campaign apparatus he built during his successful 2008 candidacy for the first time since taking office.

The campaign, which will be run under the aegis of the Democratic National Committee, will rely heavily on the 13 million-strong e-mail list put together during the campaign and now under the control of Organizing for America (OFA), a group overseen by the DNC. Aides familiar with the plan said it is an unprecedented attempt to transfer the grass-roots energy built during the presidential campaign into an effort to sway Congress.

David Plouffe, who was Obama's campaign manager and is now an adviser to OFA, called this effort the "first major engagement" of the group in the legislative process and said in a statement that it will call on supporters "to help the President win the debate between those who marched in lockstep with the failed Bush economic policies and now have no new ideas versus the Obama agenda which will help us manage the short term economic crisis and puts us on the path to long term prosperity."

Plouffe, who passed up a formal role in the White House but remains a conduit to the army of Obama volunteers, sent an e-mail to the OFA mailing list over the weekend signaling the ramping up of the campaign for the president's budget. "In the next few weeks we'll be asking you to do some of the same things we asked of you during the campaign -- talking directly to people in your communities about the President's ideas for long-term prosperity," he wrote.

That push begins today with an e-mail asking volunteers to go door to door Saturday to urge their neighbors to sign a pledge in support of Obama's budget plan.

A new online tool, to be unveiled this week on the DNC/OFA Web site, will help constituents find their congressional representatives' contact information so they can call the lawmakers' offices to voice approval of the proposal. A midweek follow-up message to the mailing list will ask volunteers to call the Hill -- the first time the OFA e-mail database has been used to urge direct contact with Congress in support of legislation.

"Members are going to be surrounded by this, and this is going to carry on for the next several weeks on this budget fight," said one source familiar with the strategy.

Several people closely involved in this campaign's planning made it clear that they believe this is the moment Democrats have been waiting for since Obama's election -- the deployment of the volunteer army that helped catapult a freshman senator to the presidency.

When Obama announced the formation of Organizing for America via YouTube in January, he said the group "will build on the movement you started during the campaign" and added: "That's why I am asking people like you who fought for change during the campaign to continue fighting for change in your communities."

Obama's closest aides have been plotting for months when to make the move. Bringing Organizing for America under the umbrella of the DNC and installing a group of Obama loyalists -- including Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine as chairman and Jen O'Malley Dillon, a highly regarded campaign operative, as executive director -- were aimed at re-creating the disciplined organization of the campaign.

"This is exactly the scenario OFA was moved into the DNC for, to take on the toughest tasks, the most transformational moments," said one party source. "Remember, everything Obama wants to accomplish from a substantive perspective requires him to pass this budget as a down payment and to draw lines in the sand."

Read the full article . . .

Supporters on the OFA email list should look for an email later today, and we'll have more information on the coming budget fight throughout the week.

Host a Pledge Project Canvass

Christopher Hass — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:36:23 EDT

Organizing for America Deputy Director Jeremy Bird sent out an email today to a number of veteran organizers and volunteers across the country, announcing the next step for the Organizing for America Pledge Project

On Monday, we announced an ambitious new effort called the Organizing for America Pledge Project.

We hope you took part and signed your name to this national display of support as we identify and mobilize supporters of President Obama's economic plan across the country. But now, we need you to take the next step.

On Saturday, March 21st, thousands of people across the country are organizing our first national day of action by hosting Pledge Project Canvasses, where they'll talk to their neighbors and ask them to pledge support for this bold plan to restore our economy.

Host a Pledge Project canvass in your neighborhood and build support for President Obama's economic plan.

We can't let this plan be debated behind closed doors by special interests or an establishment that doesn't welcome change.

Change has to come from us. We have to show that ordinary Americans are opening their doors to each other, discussing the need for action and demanding this new direction.

For everyone who questions why the President has offered this plan, these pledges will be the answer: because the American people demanded it.

Join our first national day of action now and host a canvass.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

We'll have more information on the Pledge Project, the March 21st Day of Action and the Pledge Project Canvass in the days ahead. You can watch a video and learn more about the canvasses, and organize an event in your community online now.

OFA Video: "Ready for the fight"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:17:26 EDT

Organizing for America Director Mitch Stewart sent out a special video update today, announcing an important new initiative:

Just over a week ago, President Obama submitted his first budget and made it clear he was ready for the fight to come.

The President isn't alone. We're ready for that fight too -- it's what you built this movement for.

Watch a video I recorded announcing our new initiative, the Organizing for America Pledge Project:

Americans are ready for the bold new direction this plan offers. It's what they voted for in November, and it's needed now more than ever as we continue to face an unprecedented economic crisis.

But the special interests and old ways of Washington won't go away easily. In fact, they'll only fight back harder.

It's up to you to organize support for President Obama's plan throughout the country. It's the only way we'll get the change this country needs.

Take the next step now in our fight to bring change.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

President Obama's Executive Order on Stem Cell Research: "Restoring scientific integrity"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:35:48 EDT

This morning President Obama signed an executive order ending Bush-era restrictions on using federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research. The President explained that:

Today, with the Executive Order I am about to sign, we will bring the change that so many scientists and researchers; doctors and innovators; patients and loved ones have hoped for, and fought for, these past eight years: we will lift the ban on federal funding for promising embryonic stem cell research. We will vigorously support scientists who pursue this research. And we will aim for America to lead the world in the discoveries it one day may yield.
... In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values. In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research – and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly.

President Obama also issued a presidential memorandum designed to remove politics from science and to "restore scientific integrity in governmental decision-making."

Let’s be clear: promoting science isn’t just about providing resources – it is also about protecting free and open inquiry. It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient – especially when it’s inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda – and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology.

...That is why today, I am also signing a Presidential Memorandum directing the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision making. To ensure that in this new Administration, we base our public policies on the soundest science; that we appoint scientific advisors based on their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology; and that we are open and honest with the American people about the science behind our decisions.

Read the President's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

"Comprehensive health care reform by the end of this year"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:19:43 EST

The White House summit on health care reform began today with lawmakers, doctors, hospital officials and health care advocates convening to discuss ways to lower health care costs, improve quality and expand coverage to more Americans. In his opening remarks to the attendees, President Obama emphasized that increasing costs have made health care reform both a moral and an economic imperative. The President said:

Now I know people are skeptical about whether Washington can bring about this change. Our inability to reform health care in the past is just one example of how special interests have had their way, and the public interest has fallen by the wayside.
... [But] I am here today because I believe that this time is different. This time, the call for reform is coming from the bottom up, from all across the spectrum – from doctors, nurses and patients; unions and businesses; hospitals, health care providers and community groups. It’s coming from mayors, governors and legislatures – Democrats and Republicans – who are racing ahead of Washington to pass bold health care initiatives on their own. This time, there is no debate about whether all Americans should have quality, affordable health care – the only question is, how?

The purpose of this forum is to start answering that question – to determine how we lower costs for everyone, improve quality for everyone, and expand coverage to all Americans. And our goal will be to enact comprehensive health care reform by the end of this year.

After the speech, attendees divided into five breakout groups to discuss options in more detail. Obama economic advisors, including Lawrence Summers and Peter Orszag, are moderating sessions. Afterwords, President Obama will meet with the group as a whole and take questions.

Rebecca Adelman of the Department of Health and Human Services is live-blogging the event at WhiteHouse.gov.

Read the full text of the President's opening remarks to the White House Forum on Health Care . . .

The President's Weekly Address: "Gearing up for a fight"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:20:50 EST

On Thursday President Obama delivered his budget outline to Congress, a document that represents the ideas he campaigned on and millions of supporters fought for. "Because it represents real and dramatic change," the President explained, "it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington." He acknowledged the fight ahead to bring this budget plan from outline to final legislation, but he also sent a clear message:

Two years ago, we set out on a journey to change the way that Washington works.

We sought a government that served not the interests of powerful lobbyists or the wealthiest few, but the middle-class Americans I met every day in every community along the campaign trail – responsible men and women who are working harder than ever, worrying about their jobs, and struggling to raise their families. In so many town halls and backyards, they spoke of their hopes for a government that finally confronts the challenges that their families face every day; a government that treats their tax dollars as responsibly as they treat their own hard-earned paychecks.

That is the change I promised as a candidate for president. It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.
... I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries.
In other words, I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:

So am I.

The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people. I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November. That is the change this budget starts to make, and that is the change I’ll be fighting for in the weeks ahead – change that will grow our economy, expand our middle-class, and keep the American Dream alive for all those men and women who have believed in this journey from the day it began.

Read the full text of the President's address . . .

President Obama Submits Budget Outline to Congress

Christopher Hass — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:23:29 EST

"So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America – as a blueprint for our future." -- President Obama in his Address to the Joint Session of Congress, 2/24/09

Though the full details are not due until April, President Obama delivered to Congress this morning a 140-page summary of his proposed budget for fiscal year 2010.

As he outlined in his speech to Congress on Tuesday night, the budget includes investments in renewable energy, education, and health care, as well as a plan to reduce the federal budget deficit by half by 2013. President Obama explained:

While we must add to our deficits in the short term to provide immediate relief to families and get our economy moving, it is only by restoring fiscal discipline over the long run that we can produce sustained growth and shared prosperity. And that is precisely the purpose of the budget I'm submitting to Congress today.

In keeping with my commitment to make our government more open and transparent, this budget is an honest accounting of where we are and where we intend to go. For too long, our budget has not told the whole truth about how precious tax dollars are spent. Large sums have been left off the books, including the true cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that kind of dishonest accounting is not how you run your family budgets at home; it's not how your government should run its budgets, either. We need to be honest with ourselves about what costs are being racked up -- because that's how we'll come to grips with the hard choices that lie ahead. And there are some hard choices that lie ahead.

The budget outline presented today also makes an historic commitment to health care reform, creating a reserve fund of over $630 billion over the next 10 years that will be dedicated towards financing reforms to our health care system.

President Obama concluded:

In the end, a budget is more than simply numbers on a page. It is a measure of how well we are living up to our obligations to ourselves and one another. It is a test for our commitment to making America what it was always meant to be -- a place where all things are possible for all people. That is a commitment we are making in this, my first budget, and it is a commitment I will work every day to uphold in the months and years ahead.

To learn more, you can visit the revamped Office of Management and Budget (OMB) site. You can also download the full 140 page budget outline that was submitted to Congress this morning.

Read the President's full remarks on the new budget. . .

President Obama's Address: "In our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:58:26 EST

Some of the highlights from President Obama's first address to a joint session of Congress tonight:

I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others... The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere.

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.
...The fact is, our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before.

In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day.

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here.

Now is the time to act boldly and wisely – to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jumpstart job creation, re-start lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care, and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down.
...The recovery plan and the financial stability plan are the immediate steps we’re taking to revive our economy in the short-term. But the only way to fully restore America’s economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world. The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care; the schools that aren’t preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit. That is our responsibility.

In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America – as a blueprint for our future.
...Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege – one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill.

I know that it is easy to lose sight of this truth – to become cynical and doubtful; consumed with the petty and the trivial.

But in my life, I have also learned that hope is found in unlikely places; that inspiration often comes not from those with the most power or celebrity, but from the dreams and aspirations of Americans who are anything but ordinary.
... And I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina – a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, “We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters.”

We are not quitters.

These words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a resilience, a decency, and a determination that perseveres; a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity.

Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to the task before us.
... And if we do – if we come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis; if we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity; if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, “something worthy to be remembered.”

Read the President's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

President Obama Announces Plan to Address the Foreclosure Crisis

Christopher Hass — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:13:29 EST

In Phoenix today, President Obama announced a new plan to address the foreclosure crisis, the next step in addressing the current economic situation. "In the end, all of us are paying a price for this home mortgage crisis. And all of us will pay an even steeper price if we allow this crisis to continue to deepen," President Obama explained. "But if we act boldly and swiftly to arrest this downward spiral, every American will benefit."

Through this plan, we will help between seven and nine million families restructure or refinance their mortgages so they can avoid foreclosure. And we are not just helping homeowners at risk of falling over the edge, we are preventing their neighbors from being pulled over that edge too – as defaults and foreclosures contribute to sinking home values, failing local businesses, and lost jobs.

But I also want to be very clear about what this plan will not do: It will not rescue the unscrupulous or irresponsible by throwing good taxpayer money after bad loans. It will not help speculators who took risky bets on a rising market and bought homes not to live in but to sell. It will not help dishonest lenders who acted irresponsibility, distorting the facts and dismissing the fine print at the expense of buyers who didn’t know better. And it will not reward folks who bought homes they knew from the beginning they would never be able to afford. In short, this plan will not save every home.

But it will give millions of families resigned to financial ruin a chance to rebuild. It will prevent the worst consequences of this crisis from wreaking even greater havoc on the economy. And by bringing down the foreclosure rate, it will help to shore up housing prices for everyone.

The President laid out the four key elements of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan:

Refinancing help for four to five million homeowners who receive their mortgages through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
New incentives for lenders to modify the terms of sub-prime loans at risk of default and foreclosure
Steps to keep mortgage rates low for millions of middle class families looking to secure new mortgages
Additional reforms designed to help families stay in their homes

If you're a homeowner, Whitehouse.gov has information about what options might be available to you, depending on the circumstances of your mortgage, as well as answers to some common questions.

Read President Obama's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

President Obama's Weekley Address: "A major milestone on our road to recovery"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:11:35 EST

In his weekly address this morning, President Barack Obama commended Congress for passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, calling it a "major milestone on our road to recovery," while emphasizing that we have still have many miles to go:

This morning, I'm pleased to say that after a lively debate full of healthy differences of opinion, we've delivered real and tangible progress for the American people.

Congress has passed my economic recovery plan –- an ambitious plan at a time we badly need it. It will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, ignite spending by business and consumers alike, and lay a new foundation for our lasting economic growth and prosperity.

This is a major milestone on our road to recovery, and I want to thank the members of Congress who came together in common purpose to make it happen. Because they did, I will sign this legislation into law shortly, and we'll begin making the immediate investments necessary to put people back to work doing the work America needs done.

President Obama also pointed to the unprecedented accountability and transparency that will accompany this plan, encouraging Americans to use a new website (recovery.gov) to watch where the money goes and weigh in with comments and questions once the plan goes into action. "Ultimately, this is your money," President Obama explained, "and you deserve to know where it's going and how it's spent."

Your Stories: Economic Crisis and Recovery

Christopher Hass — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:08:14 EST

This is not some abstract debate. It is an urgent and growing crisis that can only be fully understood through the unseen stories that lie underneath each and every one of those lost jobs. Somewhere in America, a small business has shut its doors; a family has said goodbye to their home; a young parent has lost their livelihood, and doesn’t know what’s going to take its place. -- President Barack Obama, February 6, 2009

In the past two days, President Obama traveled first to Elkhart, Indiana and then to Fort Meyers, Florida to hear first-hand from people who are being affected by the current economic crisis. This past weekend, Americans across the country met in homes, community centers and public spaces to share their stories as well.

These stories, of how this crisis is affecting your lives and why the economic recovery plan is important to you and your communities, are stories that need to be heard. These are the real stories of what is happening in America, and they must be part of the debate in Washington as well. Over the coming days, we'll be highlighting some of the thousands of responses we've received so far from ordinary Americans across the country.

People like Kim, from Hampshire County, Massachusetts:

I teach English and direct the Honors Program at a community college in Western Massachusetts that serves two of my state's poorest communities. I'm proud of the work my students do, and of the success they achieve as they go on to selective public and private colleges and universities. But my school is struggling under crippling budget cuts that may necessitate firing untenured faculty. The students at my school don't ask for much; they've never received much. But at their community college, they have the chance to receive a priceless gift. It's getting harder and harder to deliver on that promise without funding for basic services. Please, help my state; give us the funding we need, so our governor won't have to cut public education to the bone.

People like Kathy, from Charlottesville, Virginia:

In 2008 I was forced to sell my home and close my small business. I had no health insurance. I was homeless and lived with friends for five months. The economic stress affected my health and made it hard to look for work. The day I was offered my current job the agency instituted a hiring freeze. In spite of reassurances, I worry that I will be "last hired, first fired" which would put me back on the street again within a month. I have a good salary with good benefits for which I am very thankful. I still have high medical expenses and find that my paycheck doesn't cover my basic living expenses since costs are so high for everything... As bad as my situation is, I am a social worker in a rural community and every day I see people in far worse situations....

People like Jerry, from Chicago, Illinois:

I worked for DHL Express for six years, and back in August they announced they would be laying people off. I was laid off in September of 2008, then in October DHL announced it would be closing all of its U.S. operations. I have been throughout Chicago looking for another job, but no one is hiring. It's all part time, no benefits, seasonal jobs or minimum wage.

I have a wife, three children, a mortgage, a car note, and no health insurance. If my unemployment runs out I don't know what we're going to do.

And people like Nancy, also from Chicago:

My story is the story of the people around me... Yesterday, 25 alumni [from the University of Illinois at Chicago] took the day off from work to volunteer to help prepare students who are on the job market by teaching skills for getting jobs. As we talked, I learned that 20% of our skilled volunteer mentors are now unemployed themselves -- several had been laid-off in the last few weeks.

We shared stories. Let me share one. Last Wednesday, I learned that one of the best students in our college has serious financial trouble. He has already dropped out once to earn money to pay fees. His name is Nick. Nick, a student leader, will graduate with a near perfect GPA, two full majors and one full minor, in May 2009. In November his family lost their home to foreclosure and the corporation for which he has worked for three years to afford college told him that they could no longer employ him as a co-op student.

We need a national policy that will help public education, and I mean really help us, so we can continue to recruit, retain and graduate fine engineers and scientists who will provide the knowledge and creativity to keep our nation moving forward.

The story of this crisis can be found in homes across the country -- homes where a family member has lost a job, where parents are struggling to pay the mortgage, save for college tuition or meet rising healthcare costs. But that's also where the story of our recovery begins -- in communities across the country where Americans can be put to work repairing roads and bridges, manufacturing green technologies, and rehabilitating our schools and hospitals.

If you have a moment, please share your story about how this economic crisis is affecting you, your family and your community.

Economic Recovery House Meetings in the News: "I haven't seen anything like this in years"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:52:45 EST

Tens of thousands of ordinary Americans met at house meetings across the country this past weekend to ask questions and to learn more about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, and to share their stories of how the economic crisis has affected them and their communities. Here's a look at some of the local news coverage of just a few of these events:

From the New Haven Independent:

Thirty-three Obama supporters from across the state gathered Saturday at Yale’s Afro-American Cultural Center for an “Economic Recovery House Party.” They were eager to contribute ideas and learn how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan could affect Connecticut after it reaches President Obama’s desk as early as Presidents’ Day.

Lou Mangini (pictured with activist Christine Bartlett-Josie), an aide to New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, showed up to field questions and gather feedback. He said said he was pleased with both the turnout and the spirit of the event.

“It’s great to see over 30 people coming here on a Saturday to discuss a piece of legislation,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything like this in years.”

... “People are talking about the urgency of the bill, the need to do something, and looking at how they could influence it, and I think that last part is part of the excitement they’ve taken from the campaign.”

From the Indianapolis Star:

On Saturday, [Peter and Mollie Williams] opened their Lawrence Township home for a public discussion on the new president's economic stimulus proposal, one of about 3,000 such meetings scheduled this weekend throughout the country at the urging of Obama and the national Democratic Party.

For Peter Williams -- a retiree who, like Obama, once worked as a community organizer in Chicago -- it was a chance to renew his grass-roots effort to rally his neighbors around a common cause.

"People really do want to get together, and if you give them a chance, they will do great things together," said Mollie Williams, a retired minister who joined her husband in campaigning for Obama last year. "My interest is giving everyone a chance to speak and participate, whether they support Barack Obama or not."

... By the end of the 90-minute session, all agreed that they must encourage local legislators to support the plan.

"The bill may not be everything we want it to be, but it is what this nation needs," said Levorn Mackins, Indianapolis.

... A similar discussion and result occurred Thursday in Hamilton County as supporters of Obama gathered at Mudsocks Grill.

Some of the more than 60 people crammed into the pub's back room complained that they didn't like some of the items in the House-passed bill.

But after watching a video of Obama telling congressional Democrats why the federal government needs to take major action to shore up the economy, the group rallied, according to meeting organizer Melissa Achtien, Fishers.

"In our earlier discussion, we were sort of talking in the same old terms," she said. "We realized that it's time to get past the partisanship and move forward, and that change is hard and it's going to be difficult. But we need to do everything we can to support him."

The group agreed to get people to call Indiana's congressional delegation in support of the bill, and it tasked Achtien with working with the governor's office to ask for the same transparency on stimulus money that would come to Indiana.

The News-Journal reported on a meeting in Longview, Texas:

Owner and operator of advertising firm NTRW Media Group C.H. Collins said the economy has created a slowdown for his business.

"There are a lot clients holding back right now," Collins said. "I have one contractor that won't advertise because he's been hit and it's starting to trickle down to us."

Scott said the economy has even affected his son, an engineer who was recently let go by Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopters.

"The economy is affecting everyone," Collins said. "The Senate Republicans need to quit stalling on this bill."

... While the debate goes forward on the Senate floor, Natasha Harrell is hoping for a solution to the country's economic mess.

"It's an investment within our own country," Harrell said. "We need this bill to pass, or I think, there will be a lot of unemployed people in this country and Longview."

Danny Westneat, a columnist from the Seattle Times, wrote about his impressions from attending a meeting organized by Claire Anderson. "Senators should go to some of these house meetings," he commented. "They'd see that when people said they wanted change, they meant it."

Claire's is one of about 40 household meetups in the Seattle area this weekend, prompted by Barack Obama's new "Organizing for America" project. Obama suggested the meetings last week, tapping his 13 million-deep e-mail network for the first time since becoming president.
He's trying to community organize the nation. He's got his own agenda: rallying support for his economic-stimulus bill.

But what struck me in talking to people leading these meetings is how little they are looking to Washington, D.C., for any help.

They support Obama, sure. But many feel the ways out of this crisis are local.

"If this was just about politics, or lobbying Congress, I wouldn't do it," said Rosetta Sanz, 60, a "grandma for change" who is holding a meeting in Puyallup. "To me, this is about what we can do for each other. Not what the government can do for us."

Jose Carino in North Seattle is using his meeting to try to form "volunteer groups for mutual aid." The idea is to help one another with routine tasks and services, such as child care. Only to do it off the usual grid.

... "I think we're in terrible trouble," she said. "I like how Obama throws it back on us. He says — what can you do? The point here is to get ready by going back to the one institution you know you can count on, which is community."

And from the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette:

"[This] is a huge change in American politics," [Bari] Watkins said. "It's a structured way of asking ordinary people their opinions on matters of policy or anything else. They've opened the door and said 'What do you guys think?'"

We'll have more coverage of this weekend's meetings in the days to come, including photos and recaps submitted by some of the supporters who were there. If you were at one of the meetings, let us know how it went by sending your photos and stories to econrecoverymeetings@gmail.com.

President Obama at Town-Hall in Elkhart, IN: "I intend to keep that promise"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:46:46 EST

President Obama traveled today to Elkhart, Indiana for a town-hall on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. Before opening the event up for questions, the President spoke directly to Elkhart residents about the impact the plan will have on their lives, and explained the reason for his trip here today:

You know, we tend to take the measure of the economic crisis we face in numbers and statistics. But when we say we’ve lost 3.6 million jobs since this recession began – nearly 600,000 in the past month alone; when we say that this area has lost jobs faster than anywhere else in America, with an unemployment rate over 15 percent; when we talk about layoffs at companies like Monaco Coach, Keystone RV, and Pilgrim International – companies that have sustained this community for years – we’re talking about Ed Neufeldt and people like him all across this country.

We’re talking about folks who’ve lost their livelihood and don’t know what will take its place. Parents who’ve lost their health care and lie awake nights praying the kids don’t get sick. Families who’ve lost the home that was their corner of the American dream. Young people who put that college acceptance letter back in the envelope because they just can’t afford it.

That’s what those numbers and statistics mean. That is the true measure of this economic crisis. Those are the stories I heard when I came here to Elkhart six months ago and that I have carried with me every day since. I promised you back then that if elected President, I would do everything I could to help this community recover. And that’s why I’ve come back today – to tell you how I intend to keep that promise.

Read the full text of the President's opening remarks . . .

In Elkhart, where 8,000 jobs were lost and unemployment tripled in the last year alone, the President shared his specific plans to bring jobs back to the community, provide tax relief, and help lower the cost of health care and college for working families.

We'll have more coverage from the Elkhart town-hall later in the afternoon.

President Obama's Message to the Economic Recovery House Meetings

Christopher Hass — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:50:51 EST

Over 3,200 Economic Recovery House Meetings are taking place this weekend, and today President Obama recorded a special message for all those supporters who are hosting or attending meetings:

There are still a number of meetings planned for Sunday, and you may still be able to find a meeting near you. Attendees are being asked to share their own stories of how the current economic crisis is affecting them, but we'd also like to know how the meetings themselves are going. If you attend a meeting this weekend, let us know how it went by sending your photos and stories to econrecoverymeetings@gmail.com.

Economic Recovery House Meetings Kick-Off Tonight

Christopher Hass — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:18:48 EST

The first 300 of the over 3,200 scheduled Economic Recovery House Meetings begin tonight. In addition to sharing their own stories, attendees will meet to discuss ways in which they can share information and build public support for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

In preparation for the meetings, we asked you to submit your questions about the plan and how it will affect your community. In the past few days we've poured through over 30,000 questions, and Virginia Governor and DNC Chair Tim Kaine recorded a video answering some the most popular questions:

You can also download a state specific fact sheet outining the immediate, tangible impact that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan on your state:

Grassroots meetings will be taking place across the country, and we'll provide a look at a number of these over the next few days. In Colorado, the Longmont Times-Call reported:

Consider this a different sort of “party politics.”
Volunteers nationwide — including several in Longmont — will be throwing “economic recovery house parties” this weekend to discuss the economic crisis and President Barack Obama’s recovery plan.

... “We all have a lot at stake with this,” said Padma Wick, a volunteer with Organizing for America’s Longmont chapter. “The economy is in terrible shape and finding a good way to fix the economy is important. After the last eight years, we know that tax cuts alone don’t work. ... We know that bailouts without accountability don’t work.”

The idea of the parties, she said, is to learn more about the subject in a friendly environment. Like at any house party, refreshments and friendly chats are part of the agenda — but so are a video and other materials to help guide the economic discussion.

Response been high so far; Wick’s own party already has 25 people coming. She wouldn’t even mind doing more of these.

“I would like to stay involved,” Wick said. “I value active citizenship.”

There is still time to find an Economic Recovery House Meeting near you. And if you attend a meeting this weekend, let us know how it went by sending your photos and stories to econrecoverymeetings@gmail.com.

In the President's Words

Christopher Hass — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:20:03 EST

From David Plouffe:

Last night, President Obama recorded a series of national network and cable news interviews about the urgent need for an economic recovery plan.

Watch the video and share it with your friends and family:
President Obama discussed why we need an immediate effort to create millions of jobs while investing in long-term challenges like energy and health care.

He called for swift investment in job creation while continuing to assist those who are out of work, without health insurance, or in danger of losing their homes.

The Economic Recovery plan passed the House of Representatives, and the Senate is preparing to vote on it very soon. The final version can and will be improved. But the President's core plan will positively affect families and communities all across the country.

You can help make sure the American people have all the facts so they can support this crucial effort to boost our struggling economy.

The President is leading. Help is on the way.

Lend your voice by sharing this video with everyone you know. Then sign up to join thousands of people across the country who are organizing Economic Recovery House Meetings this weekend.

Thank you for staying involved,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Message from President Obama: "What recovery means for you"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:35:55 EST

This morning, President Obama sent an email to supporters inviting them to take part in the upcoming Economic Recovery house meetings, and asking for their help in spreading the word and building support for the American Recovery and Reinvestment plan.

The economic crisis is growing more serious every day, and the time for action has come.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will jumpstart our economy and put more than 3 million people back to work.

I hope to sign the recovery plan into law in the next few weeks. But I need your help to spread the word and build support.

It's not enough for this bill to simply pass Congress. Americans need to know how it will affect their lives -- they need to know that help is on the way and that this administration is investing in economic growth and stability.

Governor Tim Kaine has agreed to record a video outlining the recovery plan and answering questions about what it means for your community. You can submit your questions online and then invite your friends, family, and neighbors to watch the video with you at an Economic Recovery House Meeting.

Join thousands of people across the country by hosting or attending an Economic Recovery House Meeting this weekend.

The stakes are too high to allow partisan politics to get in the way.

That's why I've consulted with Republicans as well as Democrats to put together a plan that will address the crisis we face.

I've also taken steps to ensure an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Once it's passed, you will be able to see how every penny in this plan is being spent.

You can help restore confidence in our economy by making sure your friends, family, and neighbors understand how the recovery plan will impact your community.

Sign up to host or attend an Economic Recovery House Meeting and submit your question for the video now.

Our ability to come together as a nation in difficult times has never been more important.

I know I can rely on your spirit and resolve as we lead our country to recovery.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

P.S. -- If you can't host or attend an Economic Recovery House Meeting, you can still submit your questions for Governor Kaine and then share the video with your friends and family this weekend.

Introducing Mitch Stewart

Christopher Hass — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:44:53 EST

On Friday, Campaign Manager David Plouffe introduced Mitch Stewart as the new Executive Director of Organizing for America:

In addition to the video, David Plouffe sent supporters the following message:

When Barack Obama was declared our 44th President, you didn't just revel in that victory -- you started asking what's next for this movement.

How is this unprecedented group of volunteers, grassroots leaders, and dedicated supporters going to help make change a reality?

More than half a million people shared their thoughts and ideas about moving forward, and we listened carefully. Last week, President Obama announced the creation of Organizing for America -- a group that will work alongside the President to support the agenda you fought so hard for.

You can be part of its first steps.
You've already invested in the future of this country -- whether you voted, donated money, helped organize your local community, or got involved in countless other ways.

But right now, your participation in the political process is more important than ever. We'll soon be asking you to give whatever time or talent you can to support the President. With your help, we can bring change to Washington and the entire nation.

I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Organizing for America

Christopher Hass — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:28:49 EST

In case you missed it, last Saturday then-President-elect Obama announced the next step for the unprecedented grassroots movement that grew out of this campaign: Organizing for America.

President-Elect Obama on American Recovery and Reinvestment: "That work begins with this plan"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:24:57 EST

Today, President-elect Barack Obama delivered a major new speech at George Mason University, where he made the case for urgent action on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to address the current economic crisis. He offered up the outlines of a plan that includes both new policy and new approaches, with the goal of saving or creating over three million jobs while investing in priorities like health care, energy, and education to jumpstart job creation and long-term growth.

There is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the budget deficit in the short-term. But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes, and confidence in our economy. It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth, but at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy – where a lack of spending leads to lost jobs which leads to even less spending; where an inability to lend and borrow stops growth and leads to even less credit.

That is why we need to act boldly and act now to reverse these cycles. That’s why we need to put money in the pockets of the American people, create new jobs, and invest in our future. That’s why we need to re-start the flow of credit and restore the rules of the road that will ensure a crisis like this never happens again.

That work begins with this plan – a plan I am confident will save or create at least three million jobs over the next few years. It is not just another public works program. It’s a plan that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment – the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work, even as, all around the country, there is so much work to be done. That’s why we’ll invest in priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century. That’s why the overwhelming majority of the jobs created will be in the private sector, while our plan will save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, firefighters and others who provide vital services.

Some of the initiatives outlined include:

Modernizing more than 75% of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills.
Making the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America’s medical records are computerized.
Equipping tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries.
Expanding broadband across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world.
Investing in the science, research, and technology that will lead to new medical breakthroughs, new discoveries, and entire new industries.

Read President-elect Obama's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

Message from David Plouffe: What you're saying

Christopher Hass — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:59:04 EST

As we continue to collect feedback from house meetings, emails and online surveys, David Plouffe today sent out a message with updates on what we've been hearing from supporters across the country:

You helped build the most powerful and effective grassroots movement in America.

Now, you're helping to define how this movement will support President-elect Obama's agenda and continue to bring the change we need.

The more voices that are part of this process, the better the results will be.

And so far, the response has been remarkable -- 550,000 people completed the online supporter survey. And this past weekend, supporters organized more than 4,000 Change is Coming house meetings in 2,000 cities across all 50 states.

Take an inside look at a house meeting in Virginia. Watch the video, see photos from meetings all across the country, and share your feedback.

Supporters like you are deciding how this movement will go forward. And your dedication is incredible.

House meetings were held in 2,000 cities. In Florida there were 302 events across the state. In Pennsylvania there were 165, and Ohio had 160.

From these meetings, survey responses, and thousands of conversations on My.BarackObama and email, your ideas about the future of this organization are taking shape.

Here are a few things you shared in the survey:
House meetings were the primary way supporters got involved in the campaign
People are excited to volunteer around a number of top issues, including education, the environment, health care, poverty, and the economy
86 percent of respondents feel it's important to help Barack's administration pass legislation through grassroots support
68 percent feel it's important to help elect state and local candidates who share the same vision for our country
And a staggering 10 percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in running for elected office
This feedback is essential to our next steps, because this movement is fueled by your ideas and your passion.

Watch the house meetings video and get involved by taking the survey or hosting a meeting of your own.

Between now and Barack's inauguration, we'll continue to collect your ideas and feedback.

After the inauguration, we should be able to announce a clear plan for the future of this movement -- a plan determined by you.

Thanks for being a part of this journey to bring about change in the years to come,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Change is Coming: Message from Obama for America

Christopher Hass — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:06:08 EST

As part of the Change is Coming house meetings that took place last weekend, guests had a chance to watch a special video message from the Obama campaign and national online organizer Nikki Sutton:

If you hosted a meeting this past weekend, there is still time to share your feedback and report back on the issues that are important to your group and your community.

Change is Coming: "What we started"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:56:25 EST

Reports from Change is Coming house meetings that took place this past weekend have been coming in from across the country. Over the next few days we'll be sharing stories and photos from a number of meetings, and we'll have an in-depth look at a few groups that have already begun to work to improve their communities.

Here are just a few of the initial responses from the comments here on the blog this weekend:

From Michelle in Smithfield, North Carolina:

I attended a meeting today and am so glad that I took advantage of the opportunity.
We decided to call ourselves "Workers for Change." Our first immediate short term goal is to conduct a food drive through January 20th; we plan to collect 2000 pounds of food. With so many people losing their jobs, we felt that helping those that may be fighting hunger right now was something that we could address immediately.

... Within our group alone, several people are currently without healthcare due to unemployment, inability to get insurance due to pre-existing conditions or inability to pay premiums charged for small businesses. We are hopeful and confident that with the right tools and committed involvement, we will make an impact and see positive, life-improving change within our community.

From Bill in Livingston County, Michigan:

The excitement and enthusiasm carried over from the election to this weekend's meeting. There were many people there that had never been interested in politics before, had never felt their voices could be heard or have an effect in changing policy in America. It was great to see so many people attending that really believed the little guy's voice was actually going to be heard.

In Georgia, Lawrence wrote, "I'm the biggest Obama supporter you will find, but I guess the media is so negative and doubtful of change that I'm feeling down." But after attending a house meeting in Augusta, he reported:

The meeting went very well. There was a good turnout and mix of crowds (white, black, mature & young, women and men) -- the Obama trademark.

We discussed and planned to attend a public hearing in our community dealing with cutting transit service on Saturdays and raising travel costs. We also discussed other issues facing our community and nation. Our action item was to attend the meeting and make plans for a service project during the MLK holiday weekend.
I'm glad I went. These meetings are a way of keeping us connected and discussing the issues, and I'm sure this won't be the last. Love it.

And in Henderson, Nevada, Carolyn posted:

Today a small group of supporters gathered at the home of Annette and Ken. It was great seeing old friends from the campaign as well as meeting new friends. Everyone got an opportunity to talk about their issues... Everyone was passionate about their concerns and anxious to carry on what was started during this historic campaign.
I was ecstatic to learn that we would get support going forward from the Obama organization to help us stay together and work on our issues... Many issues were discussed, but as a group I think we will be concentrating on healthcare and promoting healthy lifestyles, energy and political awareness and participation in future elections. I'm looking forward to our next gathering.

Check back soon for more from the Change is Coming house meetings. If you hosted a meeting this past weekend, there is still time to report back on the issues that are important to your group and share your feedback on the future of this grassroots movement.

Supporters Rally to Help Victims of the California Fires

Christopher Hass — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:26:13 EST

On Sunday, President-elect Barack Obama called California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa to receive an update on the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California. Monday morning, we asked our supporters to help join in the relief efforts, either by volunteering or donating.

The following day, the Washington Post reported:

Barack Obama [on Monday] displayed once again the power of the vast online network he built during the presidential race, giving prominent display on his campaign and transition Web sites to efforts to help the victims of wildfires burning across Southern California.

...Obama's plea contributed to a surge in visitors to the site, a branch of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office that helps coordinate disaster relief efforts. The number of daily hits on the site increased from 15,000 Monday to 179,000 Tuesday, said Karen Baker, Schwarzenegger's secretary of service and volunteering.

Throughout the past 21 months, you've shown again and again your willingness to come together and help those in need, and this time was no different. It's a spirit that was ingrained in the campaign from the beginning, and continues on in the community that you've created.

In a speech in Iowa in December of 2007, Barack Obama explained:

I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am President of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency.

Relief and recovery efforts in Southern California are still underway, and you can still be take part by volunteering or by making a donation.

Visit CaliforniaVolunteers.org for more information on how you can help.

"Where we go from here" - A Message from David Plouffe

Christopher Hass — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:05:52 EST

Today, Obama for America Campaign Manager David Plouffe sent out a message to supporters, asking them to share their feedback and help answer the question, "Where we go from here."

Please take a few minutes and help shape the future of this movement.

Share your campaign experience and your thoughts on the best way to keep supporting our agenda for change.

The inauguration is just 63 days away, and as President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden prepare to take office, they'll need your support more than ever.

You've built an organization in your community and across the country that will continue to work for change -- whether it's by building grassroots support for legislation, backing state and local candidates, or sharing organizing techniques to effect change in your neighborhood.

Your hard work built this movement. Now it's up to you to decide how we move forward.

Take this short survey and share your ideas.

Thanks to you, this country has an historic opportunity. Electing Barack was the first big step, but there's a lot of challenging and important work ahead.

Together, we can keep making history,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

What Happened on Tuesday

Christopher Hass — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:58:07 EST

"Our strategy all along has been to expand the playing field. People thought we were crazy, but it is paying off." - Campaign Manager David Plouffe, Oct. 22, 2008

Nearly six days after polls closed, ballots are still being counted in some counties (with Missouri still yet to be officially called) but it's not too soon to look back and consider what happened last Tuesday.

Over 121 million voters cast a ballot in this election, and the final number may be considerably higher. The number of votes already counted for Barack Obama -- over 65.9 million -- is the largest total for any candidate in history.

In addition to the states won by John Kerry in 2004, on Tuesday Barack Obama won the battleground states of Ohio, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Iowa. A willingness to compete everywhere and a commitment to expand the electoral map resulted in victories in a number of traditionally Republican states as well.

On Tuesday, a Democrat carried the state of Indiana, the state of Virginia and an electoral vote in Nebraska for the first time since 1964. On Tuesday, a Democrat won the state of North Carolina for the first time since 1976.

What happened on Tuesday, especially in states like Indiana and North Carolina, was driven in part by record youth turnout. MSNBC reported:

An estimated 24 million Americans ages 18 to 29 voted in this election, an increase in youth turnout by at least 2.2 million over 2004, reports CIRCLE, a non-partisan organization that promotes research on the political engagement of young Americans. That puts youth turnout somewhere between 49.3 and 54.5 percent, meaning 19 percent more young people voted this year than in 2004, estimates John Della Volpe, the director of polling for the Harvard Institute of Politics. And that’s a conservative estimate, Della Volpe says.

"It looks like the highest turnout among young people we’ve ever had."

What happened on Tuesday was fueled by an ambitious, 50-state voter registration drive that brought millions of new voices into the political process and shifted the political make-up of over a dozen states. In Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida, Latino voters turned out in record numbers to vote for Barack Obama.

What happened on Tuesday wouldn't have happened if not for an unprecedented grassroots movement that began over two years ago, and was ultimately transformed into the largest field organization in the history of American politics.

What happened on Tuesday was the result of ordinary Americans who invested in this campaign in whatever way they could: giving five or ten or twenty dollars, knocking on doors and making phone calls, talking to their friends and family and organizing within their own communities.

Writing for the Christian Science Monitor, Alexandra Marks explained what happened on Tuesday this way:

An estimated 136 million Americans – as many as 66 percent, the most since 1908 – pulled a lever, touched a screen, or filled in ballot. They are part of a radical transformation of American politics – not just in terms of ideology and party identification. It goes much further than that.

President-elect Barack Obama, harnessing the lightening speed of digital technology, tapped a new generation of young people, inspiring them to work, knock on doors, make phone calls, convince their parents, friends, neighbors, and grandparents that there was something in America still worth fighting for.

On Tuesday millions of Americans -- young and old -- fought for the hope of a better day, and won.

But what happened on Tuesday didn't end on Tuesday. As Barack himself explained, this victory itself was not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change.

What happened on Tuesday is just the beginning.

Election Night Speech: "This time must be different"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:40:06 EST

The full speech from Election Night in Grant Park, re-edited with multiple camera angles and shots of the incredible crowd of over 200,000 supporters:

Moving Forward on My.BarackObama

Chris Hughes — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:23:23 EST

Over the past 21 months, millions of individuals have used My.BarackObama to organize their local communities on behalf of Barack Obama. The scale and size of this community and its work is unprecedented. Individuals in all 50 states have created more than 35,000 local organizing groups, hosted over 200,000 events, and made millions upon millions of calls to neighbors about this campaign. There can be no question that these local, grassroots organizations played a critical role in Tuesday's victory.

What has made My.BarackObama unique hasn't been the technology itself, but the people who used the online tools to coordinate offline action. My.BarackObama has always been focused on using online tools to make real-world connections between people who are hungry to change our politics in this country.

And the site isn't going anywhere. The online tools in My.BarackObama will live on. Barack Obama supporters will continue to use the tools to collaborate and interact. Our victory on Tuesday night has opened the door to change, but it's up to all of us to seize this opportunity to bring it about.

In the coming days and weeks, there will be a great deal more information about where this community will head. For the moment, let's celebrate this victory and know that the community we've built together is just the beginning.

Message from Barack: "How this happened"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:35:22 EST

Before his Election Night speech last night, Barack sent out this message to suppporters:

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign. We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack

How far we've come

Sam Graham-Felsen — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:53:01 EST

As election day approaches, take a moment to think about what you've accomplished over these past nearly two years.

From the very beginning, you organized yourselves, building this movement from the bottom up.

Within 24 hours of Barack's announcement speech in Springfield back in February of 2007, you had already formed over 1,000 grassroots groups on my.BarackObama.com.

Weeks later, thousands of you in all 50 states met for Hope Action Change house parties, and a few months after that, you participated in the largest nationwide canvass that had ever been organized at such an early point in a campaign.

You knocked on doors in the rain months before the pundits gave us a chance, and braved the icy winds of Iowa in January to caucus for change.

Like Grace Cusack, of Florence, South Carolina, so many of of you opened your doors to your neighbors, put your trust in them, and shared your vision for a better America:

Long before frozen Iowa night, through the very last primaries, through the summer and fall, you have been there, organizing, never giving up.

You've proven the cynics wrong so many times, not simply because you believed in Barack Obama's ability to change things, but in your own.

And with one more day, with so few hours left, with so much at stake, we need you to keep going.

We need you to stand tall:

Go out there and volunteer. Sign up now and tell your friends to sign up too.

Look up your polling places at VoteForChange.com and make sure people know their rights by sending this video to everyone you know.

If you can't leave home, pick up the phone and make some calls.

Power doesn't concede easily, and the status quo doesn't shift without a struggle. This has never been easy -- we all know that -- and we can't let up for a moment.

So please, do whatever you can to Get Out The Vote.

You've stood through the rain and walked through the snow. We know you're tired. This has been a long, long journey, with so many unexpected turns. But you have never stopped fighting for Barack's vision of a united America. And we need you to fight for one more day.

Let's go win this thing.

Road Blog: Barack's Closing Argument in Henderson, NV

Obama Road Blog — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:52:34 EDT

Sgt. T Jenkins of the Homeland Security Saturation Team, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, counted nearly 15,000 folks who had turned out today in this small town outside Las Vegas. People still come out in droves to hear from Barack directly, without the filter of the cable media, of TV ads, or robo-calls. These are straight shooting people who want to hear solutions out of the mouth of the candidate. And no wonder, as Senate Majority leader and native Nevadan Harry Reid said in his introduction, "Nevada has been hit especially hard and Nevadans can't afford four more years like the last eight."

In these closing days of this election, Barack tries to make clear that he is the candidate who understands the problems folks are having on the ground. "People around here know about foreclosures," he told the crowd, many of whom are struggling to stay in their homes. Barack also took time to make sure disinformation about his plans are cleared up, including his tax plan. "The last thing you need his higher taxes," he explained. "You need relief!"

You can help make a difference and give folks the experience of visiting an event by forwarding this video to your friends and family.

There are only three days left.

Arun Chaudhary
November 1st, 2008
Henderson, NV

Road Blog: Barack Obama on the Economic Crisis

Obama Road Blog — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:58:17 EDT

"George Bush has dug us in a hole and now he wants to hand the shovel to John McCain" – Barack Obama

On a bright and balmy morning in Sarasota, Florida 13,000 people showed up to the Ed Smith Stadium to hear Barack speak.

With five days until the election, Barack focused on the economic crisis, indicating that times have not been this tough since the Great Depression. This morning we learned that America’s Gross Domestic Product fell for the first time this year, and we are seeing the largest decline in consumer spending in 28 years. Barack explained that the serious situation we are in is a result of Bush Administration policies that favor Wall Street over the American public.

Barack asked the question, “What will our next President do to take us in a different direction?”

After 21 months, and three debates, John McCain has still not been able to tell the American people a single major thing that he would do differently than George Bush when it comes to the economy.

Sharon Barnes
October 30, 2008
En route to Virginia Beach, Virginia

Road Blog: Joe Biden on Rebuilding the Middle Class

Obama Road Blog — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:47:58 EDT

Over a thousand students, teachers, union workers, elected officials and marching band members filled the classically outfitted gymnasium of Arnold, Missouri's Fox High School this morning to see Joe Biden speak. The Fox Warriors have won many a state championship in their day, and they certainly seemed to be aiming for another victory on election day. This crowd was ready for Joe! He took time to give a shout out to the marching band and students, as well as walking them through the major issues of the day. Starting with today's news on the shrinking GDP and increasing gains for Exxon Mobil, he hit hard on the McCain-Palin economic plan, calling it "upside down" and accused the philosophy behind it of contributing to the shrinking of the middle class.

"They're not bad guys," he said in light of Exxon Mobil's record quarterly profits announced today. "They just don't need a tax break, that $4 billion dollars should go to middle class tax payers."

"Cut taxes for working people," Joe said. "Give them a chance."

Watch highlights from the speech below:

Hope Hall
October 30, 2008
Arnold, Missouri

Road Blog: Barack On the Needs of the Middle Class

Obama Road Blog — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:50:31 EDT

"With six days left, it is very important for the American people to think hard on what a McCain presidency would mean for the middle class." - Barack Obama

On a crisp day in Raleigh, North Carolina Barack spoke to 28,000 people (verified by Police Chief Scott Hunter) about the change we need to bring to America.

The issues in this election can be clouded by all the rhetoric and doublespeak thrown around on television, on the radio, and all those crazy robo-calls. But when you get down to brass tacks, Barack's words from this afternoon in the Tar Heel state ring true: "Can you name one thing that John McCain is proposing to help the economy?"

Chances are you can't. You can name the subjects of his negative ads, but as for solutions to the struggling middle class, the backbone and bellwether or our economy...

Barack expands on this idea in the following video:

Arun Chaudhary
October 29th, 2008
En route to Sunrise, Florida

Road Blog: Closing Argument in Norfolk

Obama Road Blog — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:48:40 EDT

Last night in Norfolk, over 22,000 folks (per Megan Mensick, Event Coordinator) crowded into the Harborside Stadium, home of Tides AAA ball club. While that is a huge crowd for Norfolk, there are still many more people who are undecided in this election. You may know some of them. Forward them this video so they can hear straight from Barack himself the reasons why it is so important to vote for change in this election.

Arun Chaudhary
October 29, 2008
En route to Raleigh, North Carolina